Caleb Williams, age 23, will have a new mentor who is 37 years old.
The Chicago Bears have signed veteran quarterback Case Keenum to a one-year contract, according to an ESPN report by Adam Schefter on Thursday. Schefter says that Keenum’s contract may be valued up to $3 million.
Keenum, an 11-year NFL veteran, will now join his ninth franchise. With the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, he had a spectacular moment in the spotlight and has made 66 starts overall. Sam Bradford gave Keenum the starting job, and he led Minnesota to a 13-3 record that season while Teddy Bridgewater was still out due to a serious leg injury. Additionally, he was in charge of throwing Stefon Diggs the “Minneapolis Miracle,” which guaranteed the Vikings a spot in the NFC Championship Game—a game they haven’t returned to since.
These days though, Keenum is much more of an elder statesman. He has been a backup since the 2020 campaign and spent the last two seasons on the roster of the Houston Texans.
In Houston, Keenum served as a mentor to another young quarterback, Texans star CJ Stroud. But Keenum had to spend all of 2024 on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury during a preseason game last August.
Williams, who was selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, played his first season in Chicago alongside 24-year-old Tyson Bagent, who was his main backup. Although Bagent is still available, Williams should gain from having Keenum, a far more seasoned understudy, nearby as well. Keenum is always full of insightful things to say.
