4 To 5 Teams Interested In Josh McCown

Having landed on the open market when the Browns released him Feb. 7, quarterback Josh McCown isn’t going to have difficulty finding work in free agency this offseason. The soon-to-be 38-year-old has spoken to four or five interested suitors over the past couple weeks, though he’s going to take his time picking his next club, he informed SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday (Twitter links here).

Unless McCown ends up with a previous employer, the team he chooses this year will be his 10th in the NFL since the Cardinals used a third-round pick on him in 2002. The journeyman has typically served as a backup, having started double-digit games in just two seasons, and indicated he’d like to mentor a young signal-caller if he takes on a reserve role with his next team. McCown also regards proximity to his home state, Texas, and joining a contending club as important factors.

Speculatively, McCown’s list of preferences could point him to Dak Prescott-led Dallas, which will trade or release backup Tony Romo and could lose both Mark Sanchez and Kellen Moore to free agency. It’s also worth noting that the Cowboys showed interest in acquiring McCown from the Browns when Romo suffered a back injury last summer.

McCown ultimately stayed in Cleveland in 2016, of course, and totaled five appearances (three starts) with the 1-15 Browns as he battled injuries. When on the field, McCown completed 54.5 percent of passes, averaged 6.7 yards per attempt and tossed six touchdowns against six interceptions. During his 82-game, 60-start career, McCown has posted fairly similar numbers to his 2016 output (59.1 percent completion rate, 6.7 YPA and 79 scores against 69 picks).