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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills‘ quarterback room is getting a shakeup.
With Josh Allen currently the only quarterback under contract for the Bills, the team agreed to trade for Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Case Keenum in exchange for one of Buffalo’s two 2022 seventh-round picks, a league source told ESPN. The Bills will have eight picks remaining in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Bills are also working to re-sign quarterback Matt Barkley, multiple sources told ESPN. Barkley, 31, was previously in Buffalo from 2018-2020. He spent 2021 on multiple teams with stints in Tennessee, Carolina, and Atlanta.
“I’ve got some things in the works for there,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said about the backup quarterback spot Friday. “Hopefully early next week we’ll have that resolved, but (I) do have some things. It’s an important position. I feel pretty good that we’re going to find the right fit.”
During Barkley’s time with the Bills, he played in eight regular season games and started one. He completed 54.6% of passes and threw three touchdowns and four interceptions. Barkley made a post to his social media Friday evening alluding to a potential return.
Keenum will join the Bills after two years as a backup with the Browns. The 34-year-old will reunite with former Minnesota Vikings teammate Stefon Diggs. The two famously connected on the Minneapolis Miracle to defeat the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs. Keenum started two games for the Browns last year. In the two wins, he completed 65.3% of passes and threw three touchdowns and one interception.
Having a backup quarterback on the roster that can be relied upon to start games is vital for the Bills. Allen has not missed a start since his rookie season, but his playing style that involves rushing and scrambling often makes him prone to take on extra hits.
“The only time I ever get on Josh is for taking unnecessary hits,” Beane said earlier this offseason. “That’s his play style, that’s why we love him, but a backup quarterback is very important knowing the way he plays the game.”
Former Bills backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while practice squad quarterback Davis Webb signed with the New York Giants this offseason.
Making sure Allen is comfortable with any additions made to the quarterback room is important to the Bills with Beane calling Allen before finalizing the acquisition of Trubisky last offseason.
NFL Network first reported the trade with Cleveland.