Josh McCown is liking his receiving options with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The veteran quarterback signed a nice multi-year contract with the team to reunite with former head coach Lovie Smith and get the chance to be starter in 2014 after making his name as Jay Cutler's backup quarterback. Part of his success in Chicago was due to having Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery running the sidelines, something he sees happening in Tampa Bay.
McCown thrived with big receivers to throw to. Both Marshall and Jeffery had the talent to win numerous one-on-one battles, making the quarterback's job even easier. That is what got Smith's attention in the first place and that is what the team focused on in the NFL Draft. Tampa Bay drafted Mike Evans in the first round. The giant Texas A&M target is the big play and redzone threat that the Buccaneers needed after losing Mike Williams. They also brought in tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins giving the team another big target and allowing McCown to feel very comfortable.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say there was a comfort zone in that," McCown said, via theTampa Tribune. "It's very similar [to the Bears], at least on paper. There's still a lot of work to do. We have to get out there and (Evans) has to learn the offense and we have to start building together, but it was good."
McCown predicts that Evans could be the next Marshall on the field. The two have a similar build and skillset and the quarterback should have no issues getting the most out of the rookie receiver. Smith is confident that with the new array of weapons, McCown will be just as successful if not more than he was in Chicago. Filling in for Cutler in 2013, McCown threw 1,829 yards and 13 touchdowns in the small sample of games. It helped that Marshall was 6-foot-4, 230 pounds while Jeffery was 6-3, 216 pounds. Evans matches up well coming in at 6-5, 231 pounds as Jackson is 6-5, 230 pounds.
"Josh has been in that situation and to say that he has been in our ear quite a bit is an understatement,'' Smith said. "And having seen that work, that was attractive to us.''
As McCown prepares to be the starter in Tampa, he is also looking to be a strong mentor to second-year pro, Mike Glennon. The former starter has been tapped as the quarterback of the future for the Buccaneers and the veteran likes the idea of coaching him along. Smith made note that Glennon still stands a chance to see starting time, so McCown should be careful how much advice he offers up.