Latest On Cowboys, Josh McCown
- As was reported Thursday, the backup quarterback-needy Cowboys are reluctant to meet the Browns’ relatively lofty asking price for Josh McCown. It’s possible the two will eventually agree to a deal, though, and with that in mind, the Browns have talked to McCown about a possible trade, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Cleveland would prefer to keep McCown, but it hasn’t made the 37-year-old any promises (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys’ lack of cap space might preclude them from acquiring McCown, notes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Giving up a draft pick for McCown, who has a $5MM-plus cap hit each of the next two seasons, would knock the Cowboys’ spending space down to $500K. To soften the financial blow, Dallas could include a member of its roster in a McCown trade, release one or two players it would like to keep, or restructure the quarterback’s deal. None of those are ideal options, as Moore points out, which is why the team is biding its time as it scans for depth under center in the wake of Kellen Moore‘s broken ankle.
Cowboys Not Interested In Michael Vick
- Free agent quarterback Michael Vick has indicated that he’d like to join the backup-needy Cowboys, but they have no interest in the 36-year-old, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
Cowboys Rumors: Vick, Leary
Cowboys guard Ronald Leary was looking for a trade earlier this offseason so that he could have an opportunity to start elsewhere. On Thursday, the veteran said that he still wants to be a starter, Drew Davison of the Star Telegram writes.
- So far, the Cowboys have not inquired on free agent quarterback Michael Vick, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. Vick, 36, has expressed his desire to play one final year and he says he wouldn’t extend his career past 2016. In other words, if no clubs come calling this year, he’ll retire.
- For his part, Vick says that he hopes to hear from the Cowboys and would love the opportunity to serve as the No. 2 QB behind Tony Romo. “I just want to put the helmet on one more time and dedicate myself to football,” Vick told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Michael David Smith of PFT).
Josh Freeman’s Agent Contacted Cowboys
After backup quarterback Kellen Moore suffered a broken leg Tuesday, the Cowboys engaged in preliminary dialogue with free agent signal-caller Josh Freeman‘s camp Wednesday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN. A source told Anderson that Freeman’s agent reached out to the Cowboys, who are “reviewing their options” (Twitter links).
Earlier Thursday, ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that the Cowboys aren’t in any rush to find a replacement for Moore, who was set to serve as their top option behind Tony Romo. Dallas has also been connected to Nick Foles, who signed with the Chiefs on Wednesday, and Browns reserve Josh McCown.
In the case of Foles, the Cowboys’ interest was never particularly high. Owner Jerry Jones said Thursday (Twitter link via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News) that the team didn’t make a push to sign Foles as the competition for his services was winding down.
Cleveland is reportedly seeking a mid-round pick for McCown, 37, and the Cowboys are unsurprisingly less than eager to pay such a lofty price for someone they’d acquire with the hope of never having to use in a key situation. That could lead the club to go forward with rookie fourth-round pick Dak Prescott and 2015 undrafted free agent Jameill Showers, which Jones admitted is a possibility.
“We don’t know that we are void on campus at the backup at all,” he said (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
Relying on two players who have combined to throw zero passes in the NFL would obviously be a gamble for the Cowboys, who went a miserable 1-11 in the games Romo missed last season because of collarbone issues. In fairness to Jones, however, the Cowboys took the veteran route last year with Matt Cassel – which blew up in their faces – and there’s no guarantee someone like Freeman would be any more effective than either Prescott or Showers.
A first-round pick in 2009, Freeman showed flashes during his four years with the Buccaneers, but his career fell off a cliff early in 2013 and the Bucs released him that October. Now 28, Freeman has since spent time with the Vikings, Giants, Dolphins and Colts. Before signing with Indianapolis last December, he was a member of the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League. As an NFLer, Freeman has totaled 61 starts in 62 appearances, 81 touchdowns, 68 interceptions and a 57.6 percent completion rate. On Jan. 3, his first start since 2013, Freeman completed 15 of 28 passes for 149 yards, a touchdown and a pick in a 30-24 Colts victory over the Titans.
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Josh McCown On Cowboys’ Radar
THURSDAY, 7:01pm: The Browns likely want at least a third- or fourth-round pick for McCown, writes Cabot.
5:07pm: The Cowboys and Browns have discussed a McCown trade, but Cleveland has attached a high price to the veteran and prefers to keep him, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link). At the moment, the Cowboys are balking at the Browns’ price, adds Werder.
WEDNESDAY: As the Cowboys prepare to target a replacement for Kellen Moore behind Tony Romo, they’re considering Josh McCown, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Now connected to Nick Foles, whom Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones confirmed the team is in talks with, Dallas appears to be conducting a widespread search for a proven option behind Romo. A deal for the 37-year-old McCown would qualify but would cost the Cowboys at least a draft pick. The Browns, though, would probably be willing to part with him for the right price, Cabot writes.
A deal would make sense due to the rebuilding Browns’ most recent draft performance, which featured rampant collecting of picks, and the Cowboys cratering without Romo last season. A native of Jacksonville, Texas, McCown looms likely to see Robert Griffin III take Cleveland’s starting quarterback reins. Cleveland’s previous starter is set to make $4.375MM and 3.625MM the next two seasons after signing with the Browns last year.
McCown finished 14th in passer rating last season despite having one of the league’s worst skill-position arsenals at his disposal. Griffin’s strong start to training camp notwithstanding, the former No. 2 overall pick has a deserved injury-prone reputation, and the Browns would possess only Austin Davis and rookie Cody Kessler if they were to trade McCown.
The Cowboys’ hierarchy here is unknown, but considering Jones already mentioned him to the team’s website, Foles should be considered a frontrunner if the sides are in the same neighborhood, compensation-wise. Dallas finished 1-11 in games Romo didn’t start last season.
The Browns’ starter for eight games last season, McCown completed 63.7% of his passes and threw for 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. In 2014, however, he piloted the Buccaneers to a 1-10 record in his starts and saw the team cut him after one season.
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Cowboys, C Travis Frederick Talking Extension
The Cowboys have begun discussing an extension with center Travis Frederick, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says (via Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News). Frederick is under control through the 2017 season thanks to his recently exercised fifth-year option. Dallas is hoping to lock him down for years beyond that point. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Easing Up On Backup QB Pursuit?]
Frederick has started every game at center since the Cowboys took him in the first round of the 2013 draft. His rookie deal was a four-year, $6.87MM contract, as prescribed by his draft slot. This year, he’ll make $1.34MM before jumping up to $8.821MM in 2017. Dallas will presumably try to smooth out that cap hit in ’17 while giving him more long-term security on a multi-year pact. Two years ago, Dallas inked a team-friendly deal with left tackle Tyron Smith, who shares the same agent with Frederick.
The center has started 48 consecutive games, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a second team All-Pro selection in each of the last two seasons. Frederick is (literally) at the heart of the Cowboys’ stellar offensive line and they are taking every measure possible to keep that core in place.
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Cowboys Easing Up On Backup QB Pursuit?
The Cowboys are no longer rushing to acquire a veteran quarterback, a team source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Cowboys, of course, were heavily linked to free agent Nick Foles before he signed with the Chiefs on Wednesday night. Dallas has also been linked to trade targets like Josh McCown of the Browns and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers. 
Dallas was anxious to get a veteran backup on the roster following Kellen Moore‘s broken ankle, particularly since they were planning on giving Tony Romo every third day off in practice. However, the team has apparently changed course, believing that they can simply give more reps to rookie Dak Prescott and Jameill Showers.
The Buccaneers say they are not interested in trading Glennon anyway and that makes sense given the lack of experience they have at QB outside of the 6’7″ signal caller. One would imagine that the Browns are open to trading McCown given that they have RGIII under center and are in a rebuilding year. In any event, neither team should expect Dallas to blow up their phones this week.
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Saints Interested In Cowboys OL Ronald Leary
Back in May, offensive lineman Ronald Leary requested a trade from the Cowboys. Months later, Leary remains in Dallas, but that’s not necessarily for a lack of interest. The Saints have been pursuing a Leary trade for months to no avail, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Nick Foles Signs With Chiefs, Despite Cowboys Offer]
Meanwhile, NFL GMs hear that the Cowboys are thinking about trading La’el Collins somewhere in order to acquire a defensive end, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. However, when Werder asked a Cowboys source about those rumblings, the team official replied, “That’s stupid.”
Leary started at left guard for the Cowboys in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, he started the season in the same role, but Collins – who was graded as a first-round talent before his infamous draft day slide – eventually took the job from him. The Cowboys are planning to start Collins at left guard once again in 2016, but they want all of the help they can get on the offensive line with Tony Romo returning from injury and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott leading the team’s running back committee.
Leary was on the field for only 137 pass snaps and 84 run snaps in 2015, according to the stats compiled by Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Although he did not qualify to be ranked based on that limited sample size, Leary was given an overall grade of 72.2, which would have placed him among the top 30 guards in the NFL last season.
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Cowboys Sign Gerald Dixon Jr.
- Former South Carolina defensive lineman Gerald Dixon Jr. is signing with the Cowboys, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
Buccaneers Not Shopping QB Mike Glennon
The Buccaneers are not shopping quarterback Mike Glennon, nor have they gotten any calls on him as of late, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). A report earlier today indicated that Glennon is a potential trade target for the Cowboys as they look to fill Kellen Moore‘s role, but Dallas has apparently yet to inquire on him. 
Glennon is currently slotted in as the backup to Jameis Winston on the Bucs’ depth chart with Tulane product Ryan Griffin as the team’s No. 3 QB. Griffin has yet to see live action, so the Buccaneers aren’t necessarily in position to part with him. Glennon, a former third-round draft choice, has not played since 2014.
The Bucs reportedly turned down a second-round pick for Glennon in March, though GM Jason Licht denies rumblings that he was looking for a first-round selection in order to part with the 6’7″ signal caller. In any event, the Bucs are not currently shopping Glennon, despite having conversations about him with other teams in the earlier stages of the offseason. By extension, we can say that there is nothing in motion with the Cowboys and the QB, though things could change quickly. For what it’s worth, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones told reporters this afternoon that the team has spoken with the agent for Nick Foles.
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