The Washington Redskins’ quarterback picture is less muddled.
Washington agreed to acquire quarterback Case Keenum and a 2020 seventh-round pick from the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2020 sixth-round pick, according to multiple reports.
Keenum was set to make $18 million in 2019, but the Redskins will pay only $3.5 million of the 31-year-old’s $7 million salary as part of a contract restructure. The Broncos will pay the other half, according to reports.
The trade can become official at the start of the league’s new calendar year Wednesday.
Last week at the NFL scouting combine, the Redskins said they wanted to add a quarterback to compete with veteran Colt McCoy for the starter’s job. The team’s top quarterback, Alex Smith, is out indefinitely after a career-threatening leg injury.
Executive Doug Williams said that at this stage, “nine out of 10” times the Redskins would look to add a young quarterback. Keenum, 31, certainly doesn’t qualify as that — and the Redskins would be his fifth NFL team.
Keenum spent last season with the Broncos, throwing for 3,890 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. But Denver is moving on after a subpar 6-10 season. The Broncos agreed to trade a fourth-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Joe Flacco last month.
Redskins president Bruce Allen said the team “never” had any discussions with the Ravens about Flacco, despite contrary reports. Flacco led the Ravens to a Super Bowl win in 2013.
Keenum, however, isn’t far removed from his own success.
During the 2017 season, he helped the Minnesota Vikings reach the NFC Championship — a postseason run which included the “Minneapolis Miracle,” a last-ditch, game-winning throw to receiver Stefon Diggs. Keenum was solid throughout that year and ended up with a two-year, $36 million deal from the Broncos the next offseason.
The Redskins opted to trade for Keenum days before free agency opened with quarterbacks like Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater and Ryan Fitzpatrick set to hit the market.
Washington, though, was limited financially, as the team has only $17 million in cap space unless it clears out more room, according to Over The Cap.
Washington was also interested in Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen, though it was unclear if Arizona was actually willing to trade the 2018 first-rounder amid rumors about their interest in Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray swirled.
The Redskins have the 15th pick in the draft, which they could have used to take a quarterback. But it’s likely the top two passers in this draft — Murray and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins — would have been gone by the time they got to pick. Other top names in this year’s draft include Missouri’s Drew Lock and Duke’s Daniel Jones.
This isn’t the first trade between the Redskins and the Broncos. Last year, the teams agreed to a deal centered around former Redskins safety Su’a Cravens.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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