Was Josh McCown Signed For Johnny Manziel Or Marcus Mariota?

Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown (12) calls a play at the line of scrimmage against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns fans need to take their eyes off the three-year contract their team just handed Josh McCown for a second and look at the big picture.  There is no reason to think the veteran quarterback is a long-term option at the position.  He was signed as a 2015 solution, that’s it.  Make no mistake the Browns intend to have a young quarterback behind him.

One of the most unsung aspects of McCown and what has made him so popular in league circles for over a decade is his ability to mesh with teammates and mentor younger players.

He’s never really gotten off the ground as a full-time starter but McCown exhibits excellent leadership skills.  That is likely what the Browns wanted in their dysfunctional locker room more than anything.  The big question moving forward is whether or not he was signed to rescue Johnny Manziel or if its a precursor for the team making a play for Marcus Mariota.

Manziel is still very young and no less talented

One thing must be made perfectly clear.  Johnny Manziel is not a seasoned veteran who has been in the league for eight or nine years.

This rehab event is by no means a death knell to his career.  Brett Favre entered drug rehab during the 1996 off-season, got clean and went on to his second-straight MVP year and a Super Bowl championship.

That’s not to say Manziel will do the same, but he’s only 22-years old.  There is plenty of time to turn the ship around and having a steadying voice like McCown there to help him learn what it is to be a pro can only have positive effects.

Browns remain best positioned to go after Mariota

Jameis Winston is all but a certainty for the #1 spot in Tampa Bay, which means Marcus Mariota will be the lone top quarterback left on the board.  For all the talk about the Philadelphia Eagles, no team remains in better position for a jump into the top 10 picks than the Cleveland Browns.

They hold two 1st round selections (12th and 19th) which could easily be flipped as part of a package to move up.

Everybody knows that Mariota is a project.  He’s talented for sure, but his background in a spread offense means he would need time to adjust to a pro-style offense.  Who better to have leading the way than a 35-year old veteran who has seen every form of pro offense there is than McCown?

Both scenarios are quite plausible, but the only people who know what the Browns have planned are those within the team confines.  It will come down to whether they still believe Manziel can be salvaged.  If not, Cleveland won’t sit tight outside the top-10 when the clock starts in Chicago.