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Free agent updates: Keenum headed to Denver; Texans to add DB Colvin, OT Henderson

Free agent updates: Keenum headed to Denver; Texans to add DB Colvin, OT Henderson
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.

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Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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