Josh McCown is popular. After a breakout year filling in for the injured Jay Cutler, many teams are viewing the Chicago Bears backup quarterback as a potential starter in 2014. For any team not sold on starting a rookie next season, McCown is the best option to fill in for a year and help develop a young talent. While McCown has said he would like to return to the Windy City, several teams are hoping they can change his mind.
After saying his priority was returning to the Bears and backing up Cutler once again, McCown is sounding like he has settled on leaving if the contract is right. Last season the quarterback made five starts and tossed 13 touchdowns with just one interception. Plenty of teams would like those numbers and McCown is realizing that he has some leverage now to work with.
"It's hard to want to be anywhere else," McCown said, via NFL.com. "But the balance of that, too, is our reality. This is probably going to be the last time I stand in free agency with this kind of leverage. So there's an understanding of an opportunity here to gain some more resources both to take care of our family and to do more good with. I have to be willing to go somewhere else, if that's how it breaks."
The New York Jets are in the market for another quarterback. When are the Jets not in the market for a quarterback? Right now, the team has rookie Geno Smith , Mark Sanchez and Matt Simms on the roster. Sanchez will be released sooner rather than later, leaving the Jets with two young players at the position. New York is looking less likely to target another rookie and more likely to sign an available free agent to develop Smith.
McCown could be the perfect option, but he might not come as cheap as New York wants. The backup is hoping for a multi-year deal somewhere since he is only 34. The Jets will certainly have salary cap space to work with and like the idea that if need be, McCown could start.
The Jets interest comes after looking at Michael Vick as an option. Before McCown, Vick appeared to be the best fit for the Jets. He still has the desire to be a starter in the league and could assist Smith. Several teams are also targeting Vick as an option so New York is considering all choices.
McCown says that his goal in free agency is to get financial freedom for his family. While he continues to express his love for Chicago, he will sign with the team that offers the most money.