CLEVELAND — Case Keenum will get the start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns as the team heads to Jacksonville for their preseason opener against the Jaguars, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Thursday.
Keenum officially appeared in two contests in 2020, but only threw 10 passes for the entire season — in a 38-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Oct. 18. As recently as 2018, Keenum played in all 16 regular season games as a member of the Denver Broncos. He then made eight starts for Washington in 2019.
Stefanski said getting Keenum some snaps at quarterback is important as he backs up Baker Mayfield this season.
“He did not play a ton – I know he has played a ton in his career – last year,” Stefanski said. “I think it is important for him to get back out there and perform under the lights, so to speak. When he is done, (QB) Kyle (Lauletta) will come in. What these guys have to do is operate, and that is what they are trying to do. They need to function, get guys in and out of the huddle, line them up, motion shifts, get the ball out of their hand appropriately and those type of things.”
Mayfield is not the only starter expected to sit out Saturday’s exhibition. Stefanski said he’ll mostly utilize reserves in the first of three preseason contests.
“I look at it as a great opportunity for young and old players to go out there and compete against a different color jersey,” Stefanski said. “It is always fun to see the guys out there, making plays and seeing their teammates get excited about it. Looking forward to the experience of that first preseason game and seeing the guys out there. It is all part of a teaching progression and a learning progression.”
Whether many of the starters make it into a preseason game is still up in the air. Some coaches across the NFL have hinted that after a 2020 season that did not have any preseason games due to COVID-19, placing starters into exhibition games is unnecessary.
Part of the reason there is more of an emphasis on resting starters this year is due to the NFL expanding the regular season to 17 games.
“You take what you learned last year, you take the extra game and you take your players,” Stefanski said. “As we talk about what we are going to do as a team and talk about our plan with the coaches, we are just going to do what we think is right for the Cleveland Browns and specifically what is right for each player.”
One player hoping to see a number of plays on Saturday is rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who missed some of training camp due to injury. He said he hopes to impress his teammates and coaches in Saturday’s exhibition.
“My expectations are obviously high,” Owusu-Koramoah said. “You want to go into the game believing that you prepared yourself right. I had a 10-day setback but nothing that was too detrimental.”
