Aug 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA;  Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum (18) warms up before playing  against the Los Angeles Rams at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Report: Bears sign veteran QB Case Keenum

The Chicago Bears are signing quarterback Case Keenum to a one-year, $3 million deal, according to ESPN.

The 11-year veteran signal caller has played for seven different teams. He began his career with the Houston Texans in 2013, where he played for two seasons.

Coincidentally, Keenum rejoined the Texans and spent the last two seasons in H-Town. In 2023, he started two games and throwing 291 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.

In August 2024, Keenum was placed on injured reserve, appearing in zero games last season.

The 37-year-old Keenum has his best season in 2017 when he guided the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. He passed for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 15 games (14 starts).

Over his career, Keenum has appeared in 80 games (66 starts) and recorded 15,175 passing yards, 79 passing touchdowns, and 51 interceptions.

He will provide an experienced backup behind 23-year-old Caleb Williams.

–Field Level Media

Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws the ball asNew York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (95) pursues during the second half at MetLife Stadium.  Stroud was injured on the play and left the game. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Texans rookie QB C.J. Stroud clears concussion protocol

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud said Thursday that he has cleared concussion protocol and expects to start Sunday’s game versus the visiting Tennessee Titans.

“I feel great, I feel really good. I feel back to myself, which was the biggest thing,” Stroud said.

Stroud, who was a full participant in practice Thursday, has missed Houston’s last two games while in concussion protocol.

In his absence, the Case Keenum-led Texans (8-7) defeated the Titans on the road in overtime in Week 15 before losing by 14 points at home against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Stroud, 22, was injured in the fourth quarter of Houston’s Week 14 loss to the New York Jets when his head bounced off the turf after a hit by defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Stroud, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, led the NFL in passing yards (3,631) and had the fifth-best passer rating (98.7) in the league at the time of his injury in Week 14.

The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite has completed 62.4 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions in 13 starts. Stroud has also rushed for 143 yards and three scores.

The Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars all have 8-7 records in the AFC South.

–Field Level Media

Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Texans QB C.J. Stroud ruled out vs. Browns

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud will miss a second consecutive game due to a concussion after the team ruled him out for Sunday’s contest against the visiting Cleveland Browns.

Stroud was held out of last week’s 19-16 overtime win against the Tennessee Titans and replaced in the lineup by Case Keenum.

Pro Football Talk reported on Wednesday that Stroud has shown concussion symptoms since Week 13 against the Denver Broncos. He officially was diagnosed with a concussion the following week in a road game loss to the New York Jets. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams blasted Stroud on a pass play with 6:24 to play in the game and the rookie quarterback’s head hit and bounced off the turf.

Stroud, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was second in the NFL in passing yards (3,631) and had the fifth-best passer rating (98.7) in the league at the time of his injury in Week 14.

Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) and linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring) also were ruled out of Sunday’s game. Wide receiver Nico Collins (calf), linebacker Denzel Perryman (Achilles) and defensive tackle Maliek Collins (hip) were limited in practice for the third straight day and listed as questionable for Houston, which is one game behind the Browns (9-5) in a crowded wild-card playoff picture in the AFC.

The Texans (8-6) hope to avoid the wild-card quagmire by winning the AFC South division, where they are one of three teams with the same record. Indianapolis and Jacksonville also have eight wins, and the Texans play at Indianapolis in the regular-season finale.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Boyle (7) warms up before a game against Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Tim Boyle joins Texans’ practice squad with C.J. Stroud ailing

The Houston Texans signed quarterback Tim Boyle to their practice squad on Tuesday, multiple reports said, while C.J. Stroud’s availability for Week 16 remains in doubt.

Stroud entered concussion protocol due to a head injury late in a Week 14 loss to the New York Jets. The Texans started Case Keenum last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and won 19-16 in overtime.

Houston hasn’t officially ruled out a return by Stroud for this week’s home game against the Cleveland Browns, but ESPN and KPRC2 in Houston each reported that Stroud is expected to miss one more game as he remains in concussion protocol for now.

Boyle, 29, made three appearances and two starts for the Jets earlier this season when they benched Zach Wilson for a spell. Boyle went 48-for-77 passing (62.3 percent) for 360 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions and was abruptly released after losing both his starts.

Keenum is likely to remain the starter in Stroud’s absence, with Davis Mills behind him on the depth chart.

Keenum, 35, went 23-for-36 passing for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Texans in his first game action of the season. The University of Houston product started his NFL career with the Texans in 2013-14 before spending time with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Washington, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills in starting and backup roles.

–Field Level Media

Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks to pass against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

C.J. Stroud to start again at QB for Texans

C.J. Stroud will start the Houston Texans’ preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in April, started the preseason opener against the New England Patriots on Aug. 10 with disappointing results. He was 2-for-4 passing with an interception, a 15-yard sack and a 13.3 passer rating in the 20-9 Houston win.

Davis Mills, who started last season for the Texans, was 9-for-12 for 99 yards and a touchdown. Veteran Case Keenum threw for 79 yards and a touchdown on 9-for-14 passing.

“All our players will play,” first-year coach DeMeco Ryans said. “All our players will see time in the game, and that’s how we’ll go about it. C.J. will go out first, again as he did last week, and we’ll judge the game as it goes along.”

In 2022, Stroud, 21, finished third in the 2022 Heisman Trophy voting after passing for 3,688 yards with 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in 13 games for Ohio State.

–Field Level Media

Oct 17, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Case Keenum (5) congratulates quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) on the touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Browns tab QB Case Keenum to start vs. Broncos

Cleveland Browns quarterback Case Keenum will start Thursday’s game against the visiting Denver Broncos.

Keenum will be under center in place of Baker Mayfield, who had started 51 consecutive games since his rookie season in 2018. Mayfield is nursing a torn labrum in his left, non-throwing shoulder.

“Case Keenum will be our starter tomorrow night and we have full confidence in him to lead us and do the things necessary to put us in position to win,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday. “Baker fought really hard to play, he’s a competitor and obviously wants to be out there but just couldn’t make it on a short week. We know he will continue to do everything in his power to return as quickly as possible.”

Keenum, 33, has started 62 games since 2013. He has thrown for 14,420 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 71 career appearances with the Houston Texans (2013-14), St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2015-16), Minnesota Vikings (2017), Broncos (2018), Washington Football Team (2019) and Browns.

Mayfield, 26, played all but four snaps of Sunday’s 37-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Mayfield has a chance to return to action in Cleveland’s Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Network reported on Wednesday.

The Browns (3-3) have lost two in a row heading into Thursday’s game versus the Broncos (3-3), who have dropped three straight.

–Field Level Media