Case Keenum Must Rework Contract to Remain with Broncos, John Elway Says

The Denver Broncos already traded for quarterback Joe Flacco this offseason, but that apparently doesn't preclude Case Keenum from having a spot on the roster if he's willing to renegotiate his salary.

"There has to be an adjustment of the contract," general manager and president of football operations John Elway said, per Mike Klis of 9News. "And that's going to be up to him. We're going to do whatever he wants to do. We're going to work with him and it's up to him for what he would like to do."

Klis noted Keenum has $7 million guaranteed on his $18 million salary.

Denver signed Keenum to a two-year deal prior to the 2018 campaign, and he played all 16 games while completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 3,890 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. While it was a career-high in passing yards, his touchdown-to-interception ratio took a downturn from 2017, when he threw for 22 scores and seven picks on the Minnesota Vikings.

That Vikings team reached the NFC Championship Game before losing to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles, but Denver went just 6-10 with Keenum under center and missed the playoffs for the third straight year.

For his part, Keenum said he was surprised the Broncos elected to trade for Flacco during an appearance on the Sports Spectrum podcast (h/t Jared Dubin of CBS Sports):

"Elway called me that morning and we had a great conversation, which he didn't have to do, and I appreciated that. I was definitely shocked, it was a surprise for us and I think probably for the first day or so that's kind of what it was. But for us, we're definitely disappointed, it's not something we wanted to happen. I know that everybody's doing their job and John feels like that was a chance for him to help the Broncos out."

Flacco wasn’t exactly excellent for the Baltimore Ravens last season and ultimately lost his starting job to rookie Lamar Jackson, but he is still a veteran quarterback with a Super Bowl victory on his resume.

If Keenum wants to stay and compete with him, he will apparently have to alter his contract heading into the 2019 campaign.