Jets Offered McCown Far More Than Cowboys

The disparity between the Cowboys’ and Jets’ offers for Josh McCown was believed to be notable, not just in job description but in salary. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com shed some light on how big that chasm was, tweeting that the Jets’ offer eclipsed the Cowboys’ by $4MM.

McCown will play his age-38 season for a fully guaranteed $6MM, with a package that includes mostly team success-based incentives potentially adding to that total. Although, McCown can make $2MM through playing-time bonuses.

It looks like the Cowboys weren’t willing to pay McCown more than $2MM to be Dak Prescott‘s backup. Considering the team’s cap status at free agency’s outset and the fact that Prescott will be making just $540K in base salary this season, it’s understandable they backed off.

But the Jets outbidding the other top McCown suitor by this much certainly shows the team’s interest. As does Gang Green not drafting a quarterback. As it stands, McCown, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty will go into the post-draft portion of the Jets’ offseason work as the passers vying for the No. 1 spot.

The Cowboys have been interested in McCown, either as a UFA or trade candidate, the past two years. The sides’ paths won’t be crossing in 2017, though. Behind Prescott, Dallas houses only former Tony Romo backup Kellen Moore. And the recently re-signed understudy will carry a cap number of just $615K.

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