Now that the NFL season has concluded, teams are preparing themselves for free agency next month. It’s a never-ending cycle for the decision-makers around the league. It also doesn’t come with much of a rest.
For the Cleveland Browns, that’s magnified even further. Coming off a 2016 campaign that saw the team win a grand total of one game, there’s a whole heck of a lot of work to be done in Cleveland.
As head coach Hue Jackson indicated just recently, that work starts at the quarterback position. It’s an area the Browns have struggled in over the past two decades. And these issues must change in order for the team to become relevant once again.
It’s in this that the Browns are reportedly moving on from one of their pedestrian quarterbacks from a season ago. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Cleveland is releasing veteran signal caller Josh McCown.
Browns are releasing QB Josh McCown, source says.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 7, 2017
McCown, 37, is coming off a 2016 season that saw him throw six touchdowns compared to six interceptions in five games (three starts). The veteran dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, including a concussion.
This move really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. McCown was set to count $5-plus million against the cap in 2017. By releasing him, Cleveland saves $4.3 million in cap room. It really was a no-brainer for the team.