NFL FRENZY
Free agent updates: Keenum headed to Denver; Texans to add DB Colvin, OT Henderson
SportsMap Staff
Mar 13, 2018, 2:12 pm
Case Keenum will be headed to Denver. Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Case Keenum, the popular former University of Houston quarterback, has found a new home with the Denver Broncos.
Keenum will sign on Wednesday when free agency officially opens. He is coming off a career year with the Minnesota Vikings, going 11-3 as a starter and leading them to an appearance in the NFC title game, where the Vikings lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Houston Texans will reportedly add former Jaguars CB Aaron Colvin, who will sign a four-year deal, and offensive tackle Seantrell Henderson. Both fill major needs.
The 30-year-old Keenum has been the consummate journeyman, bouncing between two stints with the Texans and Rams before signing with Minnesota as a backup. He took over when Sam Bradford was injured, and was terrific, with career highs in yards (3,547), completion percentage (67.6), touchdowns (22), yards per game (236.5), QB rating (98.3) and total QBR (71.3). He was second in the league among QBs with at least 13 starts in QBR behind only Carson Wentz, who had 13 starts.
Before last season, he was just 9-15 as a starter over six seasons, but played for subpar teams. Denver is not as talented as Minnesota, but should have more weapons than Keenum had in Houston and St. Louis/LA.
Keenum also likely had an advocate in Gary Kubiak, who is involved with personnel in Denver and was Keenum’s coach in Houston. If 2017 was not an aberration but an indication he has developed into a solid QB, Denver should improve significantly over last year’s 5-11 record.
Meanwhile, the prizes of the quarterback class, Drew Brees and Kirk Cousins, appeared to be locked up as well. As expected, Brees will be staying in New Orleans on a reported two-year, $50-million deal, while Cousins will replace Keenum in Minnesota on a three-year, fully guaranteed contract.
Adam Schefter reported the Texans will add Colvin, who played nickel corner for the Jags last season and graded out very high on Pro Football Focus, although he has yet to record an interception in four seasons in the NFL. Still, he should help an ailing secondary. Henderson has been a very good tackle when he has been on the field, but he has served suspensions for marijuana use to help with his Crohn's disease. If on the field, he represents a significant updgrade.
The Texans have much more to do and reportly are they are close to a deal with Kansas City offensive lineman Zach Fulton and are pursuing the top offensive tackle in free agency, Nate Solder of the Patriots. They have also been linked to cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and E.J. Gaines. Running back Adrian Peterson has also expressed interest in Houston.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
_____________________________________________
*Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!