When the Vikings were 6-2 and coming off their bye week with Teddy Bridgewater added to the active roster and Sam Bradford headed to injured reserve, Case Keenum was playing good but not great. He's ramped up his game since then, keeping Bridgewater's return to a starting role this season — which at one point felt close to inevitable — from happening.

The assumption from most, at the very least, was that even if Keenum kept playing well he was still just keeping the seat warm for Bridgewater long-term. That narrative might be changing.

ESPN quoted an anonymous source in a recent piece about 2018 QB situations, coming to the conclusion that the most likely outcome is that the Vikings try to sign Keenum for 2018 as their starter.

If Keenum gets the Vikings into the playoffs with a first-round bye and gets them at least as far as the NFC title game while playing well, could he be the long-term guy?

Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.