How Washington’s trade for Case Keenum impacts the 2019 NFL Draft
By Bryan Perez
The Redskins’ trade for Case Keenum could impact the landscape of the first-round quarterback market in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos agreed to a trade Thursday that will send QB Case Keenum to Washington in exchange for a late-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
The #Broncos and #Redskins have agreed to terms on a trade to send QB Case Keenum to Washington for draft picks and with an adjusted contract, sources say. Broncos get Skins 6th, Washington get a 7th.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2019
Keenum immediately becomes the Redskins’ replacement for Alex Smith in the starting lineup in 2019. Smith suffered a gruesome leg injury at the end of last season and it’s still unclear whether he’ll ever be able to play football again.
Washington’s trade for Keenum will have a ripple effect on the NFL draft. The Redskins were considered players in the quarterback market at the 15th overall pick, and while there’s still a chance they’ll target a player like Missouri’s Drew Lock in the first round, there’s less pressure to pull the trigger on a quarterback now that Keenum is in the fold.
As for Denver, Keenum’s departure creates a void behind veteran Joe Flacco on the depth chart. It’s no secret that John Elway is a big fan of Lock and most mock drafts had the Broncos taking him at No. 10 overall prior to the Flacco trade. With no backup in place, Lock is suddenly back in play.
The reality is that the Keenum trade shouldn’t alter the Broncos’ or Redskins’ draft plans all that much. If they had a first-round grade on Lock or Kentucky’s Daniel Jones before the deal, they’ll still have an interest in one or both now that the trade is done. Keenum won’t stop Washington from drafting a quarterback and he probably wouldn’t have prevented Denver from drafting one either had he remained on their roster.