When Case Keenum was traded to the Washington Redskins, he was expected to compete with Colt McCoy for the starting quarterback position. However, as McCoy struggles with a broken fibula he suffered last December, the Redskins drafted Dwayne Haskins in the first round of last month’s NFL Draft.
Keenum now faces the challenge of staying ahead of the quarterback of the future on the depth chart. The veteran has been through similar situations before. Monday while appearing at the Redskins’ charity golf event he said he was not surprised the Redskins drafted a quarterback. He is welcoming the challenge and hopes to compete while making Haskins better in the process.
“I didn’t pay a ton of attention to the draft,” Keenum said per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “But yeah, I’m excited to get to work with Haskins. I know he’s a great player. I’ve obviously watched a ton of his college games, so this is no new game to me, I’ve been in this situation before. I’m going to come in and compete, and competition makes all of us better.
“I hope I make him better, I know he’s going to come in and make me better, and that’s what helps a team is competition. You’re competing against yourself, you’re competing against the other guys in the room, you’re competing against a defense during OTAs, so I love to compete.”
Redskins head coach Jay Gruden acknowledged Haskins would get the opportunity to compete for the starting position after the team took him 15th overall in this year’s draft.
Keenum added he is excited to work with Haskins, however, he will leave the task of grooming the rookie up to the coaching staff.
“Along that process, different things you learn, we might mention something, but we’ve got a lot of great coaches in that quarterback room, so I don’t need to be a coach in that sense,” Keenum added. “I learn more just by watching players around me, so there’s that too. But first and foremost my job is to get ready to play and be ready when this team needs me.”
The Redskins will be Keenum’s fourth team in four seasons. McCoy has been hampered in his recovery from his broken leg. The two are in the final year of their contracts. Meanwhile, Haskins has been tabbed as the long-term answer at quarterback for the Redskins, who had to regroup at the position after Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture in his leg that may jeopardize his playing career.
Keenum taking the right approach will help ease any tension in the quarterbacks room, as he hold forts for the short-term as Haskins develops.
