Top five backup quarterbacks for Redskins to target in 2020 free agency

In an ideal world, the Redskins would probably like to keep Case Keenum. After all, he played well for the most part in 2019 save for a couple of poor performances against the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys. And of all the quarterbacks available that may need to take backup jobs, Keenum is probably the best.

That said, there are two key factors that will influence whether or not the Redskins will be able to bring back Keenum.

The first is cost. Keenum only had a cap hit of $3.5 million last season for the ‘Skins, but he was being paid more money by the Denver Broncos. They ate dead money by trading Keenum, who officially made $7.5 million last year. In all likelihood, Keenum will command between $5 and $6 million in salary, as that’s the going rate for solid backup quarterbacks. With Alex Smith on the books, the Redskins may not be able to afford that.

The second issue is that Keenum may want a job that will at least afford him a clearer opportunity to earn a starting job. Or he may just want to be a backup on a ready-to-contend team that could give him a chance to see action if the starter gets hurt.

Consider Ryan Tannehill landing in Tennessee. He began the year as a backup before overtaking Marcus Mariota amid his struggles. Keenum may want a similar situation, and while one may argue that could be behind Haskins, perhaps Keenum will look to back up an injury-prone starter or a team looking to add a rookie as he tries to find another chance to prove himself.

Those two obstacles could be too much for the Redskins to overcome. But if they want a proven, veteran passer with minimal health concerns on their roster, Keenum may be their best target. It’s just a matter of whether he wants to return or not, and we’re betting it’s likely the latter.