Fansided

5 AFC West storylines to watch in the 2018 season

By Cody Rivera

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 10: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders looks on from the sidelines against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 10: Head coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders looks on from the sidelines against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on August 10, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 11: Case Keenum #4 of the Denver Broncos warming up before a game against the Minnesota Vikings during week one of preseason at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 11, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Vikings defeated the Broncos 42-28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 11: Case Keenum #4 of the Denver Broncos warming up before a game against the Minnesota Vikings during week one of preseason at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 11, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The Vikings defeated the Broncos 42-28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

2. Case Keenum: Real deal or one-hit wonder?

In 2015, the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in Peyton Manning. But then he retired, and the Broncos haven’t been able to find stability at the position ever since.

Last year, they juggled the job between Paxton Lynch, Trevor Siemian, and Brock Osweiler. None of them were effective, and thus Denver struggled to a disappointing 5-11 record. General manager John Elway decided he didn’t want to draft a quarterback of the future in the 2018 draft, and instead opted to sign Case Keenum to a two-year deal in hopes of competing again right away.

But Denver is taking a risk with Keenum. He had never truly been a lights out quarterback early in his career, bouncing back and forth between the Houston Texans and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. But that changed when he landed with the Minnesota Vikings last year. Keenum finally had his breakout season in 2017, throwing 22 touchdowns and just seven interceptions as the Vikings went 13-3 and cruised to the NFC Championship Game.

The Broncos are hoping Keenum can duplicate that success and make them a contender again. The pressure will be on the 30-year-old to prove that he’s not a one-hit wonder. Denver’s running game will be a little depleted this year as a good portion of the carries will be going to rookies, but Keenum will have a pair of elite receivers to throw to in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

Last year, Keenum had the best season of his career. Now he’ll be facing the biggest test of his career. In a few months, we’ll know if Keenum really has become the real deal, or if he just got lucky in Minnesota.