Josh McCown

Josh McCown On Cowboys’ Radar

August 4th, 2016 at 7:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

THURSDAY, 7:01pm: The Browns likely want at least a third- or fourth-round pick for McCown, writes Cabot.

5:07pm: The Cowboys and Browns have discussed a McCown trade, but Cleveland has attached a high price to the veteran and prefers to keep him, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link). At the moment, the Cowboys are balking at the Browns’ price, adds Werder.

WEDNESDAY: As the Cowboys prepare to target a replacement for Kellen Moore behind Tony Romo, they’re considering Josh McCown, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Now connected to Nick Foles, whom Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones confirmed the team is in talks with, Dallas appears to be conducting a widespread search for a proven option behind Romo. A deal for the 37-year-old McCown would qualify but would cost the Cowboys at least a draft pick. The Browns, though, would probably be willing to part with him for the right price, Cabot writes.

A deal would make sense due to the rebuilding Browns’ most recent draft performance, which featured rampant collecting of picks, and the Cowboys cratering without Romo last season. A native of Jacksonville, Texas, McCown looms likely to see Robert Griffin III take Cleveland’s starting quarterback reins. Cleveland’s previous starter is set to make $4.375MM and 3.625MM the next two seasons after signing with the Browns last year.

McCown finished 14th in passer rating last season despite having one of the league’s worst skill-position arsenals at his disposal. Griffin’s strong start to training camp notwithstanding, the former No. 2 overall pick has a deserved injury-prone reputation, and the Browns would possess only Austin Davis and rookie Cody Kessler if they were to trade McCown.

The Cowboys’ hierarchy here is unknown, but considering Jones already mentioned him to the team’s website, Foles should be considered a frontrunner if the sides are in the same neighborhood, compensation-wise. Dallas finished 1-11 in games Romo didn’t start last season.

The Browns’ starter for eight games last season, McCown completed 63.7% of his passes and threw for 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. In 2014, however, he piloted the Buccaneers to a 1-10 record in his starts and saw the team cut him after one season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Interested In Nick Foles, Other QBs

August 3rd, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

2:30pm: The Cowboys are considering other free agent options, including Jimmy Clausen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

For what it’s worth, the Bucs reportedly are not shopping Glennon, nor have they received calls on him as of late.

2:08pm: Cowboys executive Vice President Stephen Jones said the Cowboys have been in talks with the agent for free agent quarterback Nick Foles, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. However, the team is looking at multiple options to replace Moore. Jones said the Cowboys want to sign a backup QB “sooner rather than later,” but they want to get it right too.

1:47pm: The Cowboys are one of a handful of teams in on Foles, sources tell Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (on Twitter). He could sign somewhere as early as today, Garafolo adds.

9:15am: The Cowboys are back in the market for a veteran quarterback. Following Kellen Moore‘s ankle fracture, the Cowboys are considering Nick Foles as an option and discussing trades for other QBs, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Josh McCown of the Browns and Buccaneers QB Mike Glennon could also be considered by Dallas.

Recently, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shot down the notion that the Cowboys would contact Foles, saying that the club would instead turn to its internal options. However, Moore’s injury has changed everything. With Tony Romo‘s primary backup sidelined, Dallas is left with only rookie Dak Prescott and 2015 UDFA addition Jameill Showers. If the Cowboys still intend on the recovering Romo taking every third practice session off, they’ll need to add a capable QB quickly.

McCown‘s status with the Browns has been in some dispute with some reports indicating that the club would only trade McCown if they received a tremendous offer. Meanwhile, other roster projections have had McCown left off of the 53-man roster. After waiving Connor Shaw earlier this summer, the Browns now field Robert Griffin III, McCown, Austin Davis, and third-round rookie Cody Kessler on their depth chart, as Roster Resource shows. McCown was thought to be a trade candidate earlier this offseason, with the Broncos among the teams that reportedly expressed interest. If Cleveland ends up releasing McCown, the team would save nearly $3.4MM on its salary cap.

Glennon, the backup to Jameis Winston, has not played since 2014 and was speculated as a trade target for quarterback-needy teams this spring. The 2013 third-round pick is entering his contract year and may view the Cowboys as a team that would give him a better chance to play given Romo’s health issues. The Bucs reportedly turned down a second-round pick for Glennon in March.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Patriots, McCown, Sanders, Colts

July 2nd, 2016 at 8:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots have a history of snatching up players who participated against them in joint practices, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who goes on to examine which Saints and/or Bears — the two clubs that will hold sessions with New England this summer — could be of interest to Bill Belichick & Co. While some New Orleans players such as defensive tackle John Jenkins and wide receiver Brandon Coleman could intrigue the Patriots, both are likely to make the Saints roster, so rookie running back Daniel Lasco or linebacker Davis Tull could be more New England’s speed. From Chicago, linebackers Sam Acho and Christian Jones, as well as first-year receiver Daniel Braverman, could face uphill climbs to make the Bears roster, and thus worth keeping an eye on from New England’s perspective.

Let’s take a look at a few more items from the AFC:

Veteran quarterback Josh McCown‘s status with the Browns seems to be in some dispute — while Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com believes the club would only trade McCown if they received a “tremendous offer,” Tony Grossi of ESPN.com disagrees (Twitter link), and doesn’t project McCown to make the final Cleveland roster. After waiving Connor Shaw on Thursday, the Browns now field Robert Griffin III, McCown, Austin Davis, and third-round rookie Cody Kessler on their depth chart, as Roster Resource shows. McCown was thought to be a trade candidate earlier this offseason, with the Broncos among the teams that reportedly expressed interest. If Cleveland ends up releasing McCown, the team would save nearly $3.4MM on its salary cap.
The Broncos have engaged in “good talks” with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, but recent receiver contracts have altered the playing field in negotiations, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Allen Hurns, Keenan Allen, and Doug Baldwin have all agreed to extensions with their respective clubs in recent weeks, and all three inked deals that average more than $10MM annually and contain more than $12MM in full guarantees. Those figures would seem to be floors for Sanders, who tops that trio in receptions, yards, and approximate value since 2014. Denver management reportedly exchanged contract offers with Sanders and his camp at the end of last month.
Extending Andrew Luck is just the first step in turning the Colts into perennial contenders, opines Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Instead of trying to apply a “quick-fix” approach as they’ve done in years past — signing over-the-hill veterans in an attempt to go “all-in” — general manager Ryan Grigson and his staff plan to build through the draft; develop those players once they’re in the Colts system; and retain them with long-term contracts. All in all, this means the days of signing the likes of Trent Cole, Todd Herremans, and others over the ago of 30 are probably over in Indianapolis — extensions like the ones inked by Luck, tackle Anthony Castonzo, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, and tight end Dwayne Allen are more likely to become the norm.

Extra Points: Colts, McLeod, McCown

June 4th, 2016 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

There were questions surrounding the relationship of Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano, but ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes that the two have seemingly resolved their issues ever since receiving extensions. With the pair being under contract for the same amount of years, the duo has made sure that they’re “on the same page when it comes to the makeup of the roster.”
Before settling in on a five-year, $37MM contract with the Eagles, safety Rodney McLeod received similar offers from other teams. Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice tweets that McLeod heard from the Jaguars, Browns, and Buccaneers.
Josh McCown would prefer that the Browns make their starting quarterback decision sooner than later, the signal-caller said on 850 WKNR in Cleveland (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m a human being and there’s no doubt, you want things mapped out,” McCown said. “I don’t like it, but I think it helps me get better.”
Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was charged with vehicular assault following a car crash last October (via the Associated Press). The 25-year-old appeared in 14 games with Seattle in 2015, compiling 32 yards on eight rushing attempts.

North Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browns, Vikings

June 1st, 2016 at 8:57pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Ravens are relishing the presence of three-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle, whom they signed to a four-year, $26MM deal in March, as Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. “If he has anything to tell me I’m always listening,” said fellow safety Lardarius Webb. “He’s going to be big for this defense – for this team.” Webb added that Weddle is “being himself and were loving it,” also referring to the acquisition of the longtime Charger as a “great move.” Head coach John Harbaugh agrees, stating, “He fits in with how we do things around here perfectly. I give (general manager) Ozzie (Newsome) all the credit in the world. That was a great signing.”

More from the NFL’s two North divisions:

Still-unsigned linebacker Mike Neal visited the Lions in March, but they no longer have interest in the 28-year-old, reports Justin Rogers of MLive.com. As Rogers points out, the Lions picked up Wallace Gilberry in free agency and addressed both defensive end and outside linebacker via the draft, thereby lessening the need for Neal. The Lions are of course quite familiar with Neal, who has so far spent his entire career (2010-15) with the division-rival Packers. PFR’s Dallas Robinson rates Neal as the sixth-best defensive free agent remaining on the market.
Browns coach Hue Jackson says he’s not ready to name a starting quarterback coming out of OTAs, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Signs are pointing toward Robert Griffin III, though, per Tony Grossi of ESPN.com. Whether veteran Josh McCown makes the team will depend on how Griffin and third-round rookie Cody Kessler fare in the coming months, Grossi opines.
The Vikings haven’t ruled out adding another punter to compete with incumbent Jeff Locke, special teams coach Mike Priefer said Wednesday (link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Minnesota tried out a pair of rookie punters last month, and neither signed with the Vikings or any other team. That could change, however, according to Priefer. “We had two good, young rookie punters at minicamp who performed very, very well so we know those guys are out there if we need to go that route,” commented Priefer. As for Locke, 26, he’s entering a contract year after ranking dead last in yards per punt (41.6) and third from the bottom in net yardage (37.8) in 2015.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Browns Rumors: RG3, McCown, Nassib, Trades

May 14th, 2016 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Browns paid a high-end backup price for Robert Griffin III at two years and $15MM, the team signed the wayward quarterback with the intention he could be their long-term option.

“Our plan would be for Robert, if it carries out, to come in, solidify himself and then, if we felt like he’s our answer longer-term, to begin working on a longer-term deal,” GM Sashi Brown told media — including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “... He’s just 26 years old and he wants to play for a long time. He provides that upside, if he’s able to come in and do what’s first, which is establish himself as a starter and a capable starter for us.”

Cleveland’s brass is not ready to hand the starting job to Griffin right now, with Josh McCown still in the mix and third-round pick Cody Kessler likely a developmental option. But the Browns are at least paying lip service to the fact the 2012 offensive rookie of the year can resurrect his career for a team that’s had the worst run at quarterback since re-spawning in 1999.

Here’s more coming out of Cleveland.

Despite Griffin’s signing cosmetically looking like it leaves McCown without a place on a rebuilding team, the 36-year-old passer remains a threat to keep his starting job, per Ulrich. The Browns would also consider keeping him if he doesn’t. “[We want to] have him come in and compete to be our starter,” Brown said. “Josh has been a great presence for our young guys in the locker room, and that QB room is enhanced by his presence. I think [keeping him even if he doesn’t win the starting job will] be a consideration.” Amid the disastrous Johnny Manziel experiment that cycled in and out of the huddle last season, McCown completed 63.7% of his passes and threw 12 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions despite being saddled with one of the league’s worst pass-catching contingents. McCown is owed just more than $5MM this season, the last year of his contract, and the Browns would carry $2.33MM in dead money if they cut him. Of course, with more than $41MM in cap space right now, the Browns aren’t exactly geared toward 2016 contention.
One of the Browns’ Day 2 picks, Carl Nassib, caused the new GM to make a lofty comparison. Brown said the 6-foot-7 former Penn State pass-rusher has “as good of a motor, if not better, than Joey Bosa,” per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The Vince Lombardi Award winner after registering a Division I-FBS-best 15.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions last year, Nassib out-produced Bosa last season. But the Ohio State pass-rusher collected 26 sacks in three seasons and recorded 51 tackles for loss in that span, giving the former Buckeye a much more consistent resume.
Although there isn’t much of a way to disprove this, Brown said Emmanuel Ogbah was the top player the Browns hoped would still be there when they picked at No. 32 (via Ulrich, on Twitter). As a junior at Oklahoma State, Ogbah finished tied for fourth nationally last season with 13 sacks.
Brown also challenged those who questioned the team’s pick of Princeton tight end Seth DeValve in the fourth round, telling media (including Ulrich, on Twitter) that they won’t be second-guessing the selection for long.

Sunday Roundup: Foles, Hillman, Jets

April 10th, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Rory Parks

With a potential Colin Kaepernick trade to the Broncos on hold for now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders whether Rams signal-caller Nick Foles could be a fit in Denver. Per Florio, a source with knowledge of the Rams’ quarterback dynamics has already predicted that Foles likely will be gone by the start of training camp, and that he definitely will not be on the team before Week One.

Foles’ $6MM roster bonus was paid on March 11, but that bonus was already fully-guaranteed, so the only additional obligation arising from keeping Foles into March 2016 came from his base salary, which is a modest $1.75MM (if Foles is traded, of course, that base salary goes with him). So the Broncos, who are asking that Kaepernick reduce his $11.9MM salary for 2016 to $7MM to facilitate a trade, could have Foles for just $1.75MM in 2016 (not including $4.5MM in incentives, but if Foles were to earn those incentives, the Broncos certainly wouldn’t be complaining).

Of course, the Broncos are not as strapped for cap space now that they have traded Ryan Clady, and as Florio points out, Denver may not have inquired into Foles simply because he played so poorly in 2015. As far as the Rams are concerned, Florio believes they will “squat” on Foles unless and until they draft a quarterback later this month, at which time the two sides will likely part ways.

Now for some more notes from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

Free agent running back Ronnie Hillman, who has not found much of a market for his services, could be returning to the Broncos, according to Mike Klis of 9News.com, who reports that the two sides have exchanged contract proposals. Troy Renck of The Denver Post confirms the report (via Twitter), and he also tweets that head coach Gary Kubiak expressed an interest in retaining Hillman last month. Both Klis and Renck say that Denver will draft a running back later this month regardless of whether Hillman returns.
A jury in a civil trial Friday decided a California woman, Christin Myles, failed to prove that Jets WR Brandon Marshall assaulted her outside a Manhattan nightclub four years ago, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter) and Larry Neumeister of The Associated Press (article via The Denver Post). Myles had sued Marshall, who was not in court for the verdict, for unspecified damages.
The Jets are working out free agent wideout Kyle Williams today, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Williams was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2010 draft and is best-known for his two fumbled punt returns in the 2011 NFC Championship game. He sat out the entire 2014 season and signed with the Broncos prior to the 2015 campaign, but he tore his ACL last August and missed the entirety of the 2015 season as well.
Like a number of other NFL scribes, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns will draft a quarterback with the No. 2 overall selection in this month’s draft and have that player compete with the newly-acquired Robert Griffin III. Cabot also believes the team will look to move Josh McCown on draft day or sometime thereafter; in any event, she does not expect Cleveland to string McCown along through training camp.
There are a number of free agents still available that might help the Giants address their remaining needs, but as Paul Schwartz of The New York Post writes, GM Jerry Reese is likely to continue ignoring free agents who may have another season or two left in the tank but who are otherwise past their prime, like Anquan Boldin, Owen Daniels, and Nate Chandler.

Broncos To Consider Josh McCown

April 8th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos’ brief look at Johnny Manziel won’t amount to anything, but Denver is keeping its eye on another quarterback who started games in Cleveland last season. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Broncos will consider acquiring Josh McCown if they don’t ultimately land Colin Kaepernick from the 49ers.

McCown, who turns 37 in July, was arguably the Browns’ most effective signal-caller in 2015, despite the fact that the team lost seven of his eight starts. McCown tossed 12 touchdowns to just four interceptions, completing 63.7% of his passes and surpassing 2,100 yards passing in just half a season. His campaign was cut short by a broken collarbone.

Even with Manziel no longer in the mix though, McCown looks somewhat expendable in Cleveland. Robert Griffin III and Austin Davis are among the QBs currently on the roster, and the Browns are widely expected to use an early pick in this month’s draft to fortify the position. With the franchise in rebuilding mode, McCown, who has a $5MM+ cap hit for 2016 and remains under contract through 2017, doesn’t fit into the long-term plan.

For Denver, McCown wouldn’t necessarily represent a noticeable upgrade on the club’s in-house options of Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, but he’s capable of starting, and would make for a reliable backup if he didn’t win the job. If the Broncos fail to acquire Kaepernick, they could attempt to land McCown in a deal similar to their trade for Sanchez, in which they surrendered only a conditional late-round draft pick.

The Broncos may prefer for the Browns to simply release McCown, since they could explore signing him on their own terms at that point. Still, the veteran’s salary on his current contract isn’t exorbitant — he would count for $4.375MM in cap space for any team that acquired him in a trade, with no guaranteed money beyond 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns Sign Robert Griffin III

March 24th, 2016 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

12:40pm: The Browns’ investment in RGIII is not insignificant. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the two-year pact is worth $15MM, with a signing bonus of $3.5MM and $6.75MM in total guarantees.

According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links), Griffin can earn up to $750K in per-game active roster bonuses, and has a $750K roster bonus due on the third day of the 2017 league year. He can also make an extra $3.5MM in annual incentives based on playing time, yards, and passer rating, so the deal could max out at $22MM.

11:45am: The Browns have officially signed Griffin, the team confirmed in a press release. According to Schefter (Twitter link), it’s a two-year contract.

11:38am: Griffin and the Browns have agreed to a deal, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter).

11:31am: The Browns are expected to reach an agreement with free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). While nothing is official yet, Schefter reports that RGIII will become a Brown.

The move could have a domino effect on other quarterback situations around the NFL. Cleveland had been viewed as a potential landing spot for trade candidate Colin Kaepernick, but signing Griffin will take the Kaepernick option off the table for the Browns. As for RGIII, he had been viewed as a potential fallback plan for the Jets, so Ryan Fitzpatrick may get a little added leverage in his contract negotiations with New York now that the team’s alternatives have been reduced by one.

Still, as Schefter notes (via Twitter), the Browns’ deal with Griffin could result in another veteran signal-caller becoming available. With Cleveland still likely to select a quarterback in the draft, last year’s primary starter, Josh McCown, could land on the trade block.

Griffin, the 2012 offensive rookie of the year, hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs that season. Although the former Pro Bowl quarterback completed a career-best 68.1% of his passes in 2014, he threw just four touchdown passes compared to six interceptions and fell out of favor with Jay Gruden. Subsequently, RGIII didn’t take a snap in 2015 as Kirk Cousins captured Washington’s starting job and ultimately received the franchise tag.

Griffin threw for 3,200 yards as a rookie, rushing for another 815, and totaled 27 touchdowns, including 20 through the air. In 2013, however, Griffin’s completion percentage dropped five points and Washington went 3-10 in games that the former Heisman Trophy winner started.

Injuries knocked Griffin out of the starting lineup in 2014 and ’15, the latter coming in the preseason, when Washington opted to shelve the former No. 2 overall pick and begin its exit strategy from its one-time franchise quarterback. The team released him earlier this month.

After Griffin reached free agency, he visited both the Jets and Browns, but the interest from Cleveland was always viewed as more serious — Jets GM Mike Maccagnan described RGIII’s visit to New York as a “meet-and-greet” situation.

With the Browns believed to be eyeing a quarterback like Carson Wentz or Jared Goff in the draft, the team could pair a first-round rookie with the 26-year-old Griffin this season, giving the franchise a pair of signal-callers with some youth and upside. Although Cleveland’s failure to develop quarterbacks in the past has been well-documented, there is perhaps some reason for optimism this time around, since new head coach Hue Jackson is widely considered to be a strong QBs coach.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Browns, Robert Griffin III

March 21st, 2016 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

There is “mounting buzz” about the Browns’ intent to sign Robert Griffin III, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. La Canfora adds that he wouldn’t be surprised if the two sides reached agreement on a deal this week. Griffin visited the Browns just days ago and the visit reportedly went well.

If the Browns sign RG3, they will receive outside interest in quarterback Josh McCown, per LaCanfora (Twitter links). La Canfora asserts that the Broncos, Rams, and Jets could all explore a deal for the veteran quarterback. In addition, he says that an RGIII signing would not preclude Cleveland from going after a QB in the draft.

McCown was placed on IR in December, but finished the year with fairly respectable numbers. Although the Browns only won one of his eight starts, he completed 63.7% of his passes, throwing for 2,109 yards, 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He’s now entering the second season of the three-year deal he signed with Cleveland as a free agent in 2015.

Griffin looked like a superstar in the making as a rookie, but his completion percentage dropped in 2013 and Washington went 3-10 in games that the former Heisman Trophy winner started.

Injuries knocked Griffin out of the starting lineup in 2014 and ’15, the latter coming in the preseason, when Washington opted to shelve Griffin and begin its exit strategy from its one-time franchise quarterback. The team released him earlier this month.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Load More Posts