We’ve written this before, but with the fact he is now gone from the Browns, we feel the need to, one last time, discuss quarterback Josh McCown, who signed in free agency with the New York Jets several days ago.
McCown, who will play for Jets head coach and former Browns secondary coach Todd Bowles, is as good of a guy – as good of a teammate, as much of a team-first player — as you’ll find on any roster in the NFL.
While he was with the Browns, he did whatever was asked of him without one word of complaint. Did he want to play more? Of course. But he checked his ego at the door and made the best of every situation.
As such, McCown was a real benefit to the Browns through his exposure to all their young players, showing them how to prepare and go about their business – about how to be a real pro. Hopefully those lessons will stay with them going forward.
He will be the same kind of asset to the Jets. From that standpoint, they will be very happy that they added him.
But if the Jets expect McCown to do much on the field, then they’ll be sorely disappointed.
McCown can come in and manage the offense and, for a while at least, make some plays to keep his team in the game. He will look like the real deal until he plays too long and all his warts – interceptions, the inability to make throws down the stretch when most games are decided, and struggles with decision-making and accuracy – rear their ugly heads to doom him.
Again, the key is to limit his playing time. If the Jets do that, then they’ll get some good play out of him.
And if they don’t, they’ll be ripping their hair out, just like Browns fans have done the last two seasons.
Whatever the case, we wish Josh McCown the best of luck. Good guys like him deserve that.
