Englewood, Colo. • Kirk Cousins was the unequivocal jewel of this year’s free agent quarterback class in just about everyone’s mind but John Elway’s.
Even though Keenum was No. 1 in Elway’s eyes, he was viewed over the last several weeks as something of a runner-up even in the Broncos locker room.
Several stars such as Von Miller, Brandon Marshall and Emmanuel Sanders campaigned for Cousins, issuing public pleas for the ex-Washington QB who ultimately signed a three-year, $84 million deal with Minnesota.
Keenum, who led the Vikings to the NFC championship game after replacing an injured Sam Bradford and going 11-3, said his phone has “been blowing up” with congratulatory texts from his new teammates — Miller’s was the first — and he brushed aside all that cajoling of Cousins, too.