30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Case Keenum (No. 29)
Every day from now right up through training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2025 season. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.
Next up at No. 29 is quarterback Case Keenum, who was brought in to serve as a valuable mentor for Caleb Williams while also competing for the backup job.
Background
Position: Quarterback
Age: 37
Experience: 12th season
2025 cap hit: $2.25 million
2024 recap
Keenum joined the Texans in 2023, where he served as another coach for then-rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year, and was Houston's backup quarterback. Unfortunately, he never got an opportunity to see the field in 2024. Keenum suffered a season-ending foot injury during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. While Keenum missed the entire 2024 season, he remained part of the quarterback room and served as a sounding board for Stroud. Keenum hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2023, when he made two starts in place of Stroud. In the last five years, Keenum has appeared in 13 games, including four starts. The hope is Keenum won't see the field for Chicago in 2025 -- unless it's replacing Caleb Williams because the Bears are blowing out a team.
2025 outlook
The Bears signed Keenum this offseason to serve as another voice inside the quarterback room for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Keenum played a key role during Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's rookie season, when he was dubbed Offensive Rookie of the Year. Now, alongside new head coach Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett, Keenum will serve as a sounding board for Williams and help him maximize his potential. But outside of that, Keenum will also be competing for the backup quarterback job with Tyson Bagent, who's been QB2 for the past two seasons. For what it's worth, Keenum has been taking reps with the second-team offense throughout the offseason program, according to the media in attendance, so it certainly feels like it's his job to lose at this point. But it's also something to monitor heading into training camp.
Big Question: How much will Keenum help Williams develop in Year 2?
While Keenum is contending for the backup job with Bagent, there's little doubt about the reason he's in Chicago in the first place -- serving as another mentor for Williams, who's entering a pivotal second season. Keenum boasts a wealth of experience, which includes four years of starting experience and two playoff games (including one win), and he'll be a valuable sounding board for the Bears' young star. Keenum was considering retirement before a 15-minute meeting with Ben Johnson, where Keenum came away impressed with Williams and eager to help the young quarterback flourish. While Keenum is competing for the backup job, he understands his main role is to help Williams develop. Williams is learning his second offense in as many seasons, and Keenum will be key to helping Williams master this Ben Johnson offense and ask questions when needed. While coaches were limited with how much they can work with players each day during the offseason program, there's no such limit with players, and Williams and Keenum have been taking advantage of that.
30 Most Important Bears of 2025
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