The NFL free agent class has Josh McCown joining the ranks at quarterback with Mark Sanchez and Brian Hoyer and teams like the Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, NY Jets, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills could be interested in signing him after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after one season.
McCown was the top prize of the free agent QB class last season for the Buccaneers, but he had a tough year and now has been released. According to Pro Football Talk, the Buccaneers likely will use Mike Glennon or pick Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota in the draft to take over at QB. McCown joins Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer and Jake Locker along with Ryan Mallett as the top options on the market for teams looking for a quarterback. Other names include Colt McCoy, Christian Ponder and Michael Vick.
There is a chance that the Buccaneers dip in and take a chance on another free agent like they did last year, but they likely will go with one of the top prospects. According to NFL.com, "multiple teams" are looking to meet with McCown this winter and there is a good chance he will find another landing spot. McCown was not great last year, but in 2013 he had a fantastic run while playing for Jay Cutler while he was injured.
That performance got him the job in Tampa Bay, but now he is done after one season. McCown went for 2206 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with 14 interceptions and had a 56 percent completion percentage. The Bucs were bad, so that wasn't all on McCown, but he did not play all that great in the 11 games he was in. The Buccaneers reportedly are "locked in" on Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston and that means scouts will be poring over those two over the next couple months.
NFL.com reports that Winston has the edge over Mariota for the Buccaneers and now McCown has the chance to sign with some teams. The Ravens have been mentioned das an option if he can't find a starting job, as Joe Flacco needs a backup. McCown had his best performance in 2013, as he passed for 1,829 yards, 13 TDs and one interception while completing over 66 percent of his passes.
McCown played in 11 games last season, which was the most for him since back in 2004. McCown could be a solid bridge quarterback option for teams who bring in young players and the Browns or Bills could fit that situation. The Bills have EJ Manuel, but he needs more time to develop and it's likely that Rex Ryan brings in a veteran to start this season. The Browns also could be an option for the same reasons, as they could look at McCown over bringing back Brian Hoyer.
The Rams have been interested in Nick Foles and could look this way, while the Jets are looking to bring in a veteran and they could be interested in McCown as well. The Texans are looking to get a new starter after Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ryan Mallett last season and McCown could also be an option for the team.