Who Should I Start? Case Keenum or Sam Darnold

Sunday, August 25, 3:19 AM

Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum started the final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams but was injured during the match. Keenum appeared to hurt his arm while following through on a throw. He completed 4 of 8 passes for 32 yards. He narrowly avoided an interception on a misfire with wide receiver John Metchie III, who was open, before being replaced by fourth-string quarterback Tim Boyle. Boyle performed well, completing 9 of 13 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown to fullback Troy Hairston in the first half at NRG Stadium. Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud did not play as he prepares for the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts on September 8. Davis Mills has secured the backup role and is set to be Stroud's primary backup. With Keenum now waiting to see if he or Boyle will be chosen as the third-string quarterback, Keenum may have the edge given his quasi-coach role in C.J. Stroud's development.

Tuesday, January 14, 4:51 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold resurrected his career by leading the Vikings to 14 wins in 2024 while posting career-highs in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35), but he came crashing down hard in losses to the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round in which he had a combined 23 off-target throws and took 11 sacks. Darnold's future is now as unsettled as ever as he heads toward free agency in March, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Darnold is still the top free-agent QB. The teams that Fowler has spoken with recently forecasted Darnold in the Geno Smith/Baker Mayfield weight class of contracts. Mayfield got a three-year, $100 million deal last offseason with Tampa, while Smith signed a three-year, $75 million deal before the 2023 season. Darnold tanked to end the year, but he did enough to find work as a starter somewhere else if Minnesota doesn't want him back.