NFL Trade Machine: Josh McCown To The Jets

Last year, the New York Jets pulled off one of the more surprisingly successful trades of the 2015 season when they brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick for a late round draft pick from Houston.  Most thought it was nothing more than a move for depth at the quarterback position, a way to provide more experience behind Geno Smith.  Sure enough, Fitzpatrick emerged as the starter by the time the regular season come around and put up the best season of his career.  In throwing 31 touchdown passes, he led the team to a 10-6 record.

Unfortunately that success seems to have come back to haunt them.  Fitzpatrick, now a free agent, has elevated his price for re-signing and it doesn’t seem to be one the team is anxious to match given his age (33) and history.  So they’ve since begun to inquire around the market for possible replacements.  It seems fitting they might try a similar route that led them to Fitzpatrick in trading for an older journeyman who has had success in the past.

Josh McCown has been in the NFL for a long time, going between bouts of terrible plays, to decent play to brief spurts of outstanding play.  Lack of organizational commitment to him, as well as instability with the coaching staff has led him to never being able to stick in one place for long.  Still, the interest the Jets have in him is understandable.  He has a history with some of their key offensive players like Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte, having played with them in Chicago.

His experience and notable reputation for being a great locker room guy alone would be a welcome addition.  Obviously at age 36 (turns 37 in July) he is little more than a one-year stopgap but it at least buys the organization time to find a younger option they can develop behind him.  It comes down to whether the Cleveland Browns are interested in dealing him.