Odds are long that Andy Dalton is the Bengals quarterback in 2020, leaving a hole and valuable veteran leadership. that is one reason journeyman QB Case Keenum is the right guy for the Cincinnati locker room.
The Cincinnati Bengals will select a quarterback in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Perhaps, most likely, it will be Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Maybe they trade to acquire draft picks and get someone like Tua Tagovailoa. Who knows, the draft isn’t until late April. That said, Zac Taylor and the Bengals brain-trust can begin to lay the groundwork for a transition after Andy Dalton.
One question that needs to be asked, and is probably not easily answered, is who should back up a rookie like Burrow. Maybe the better question is who could start or should start the season if the rookie isn’t ready? There are some names floating around, but one name makes sense because he’s been down this road a few times already.
Case Keenum is a name that fits nicely into what some like to call a bridge quarterback. It’s a road he’s been down before and is the kind of professional a coach like Taylor would both appreciate and could rely on in a transition season. With a rookie on deck and no guarantee he is ready to start Week 1, Keenum is a player who buys time. Something Cincinnati could use when working in a player like Burrow to take over the franchise.