Tampa Bay Buccaneers Release Josh McCown
Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown (12) reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released quarterback Josh McCown after just one season the team announced Wednesday.
By cutting McCown, the Bucs will save $5.25 million. His contract was not guaranteed.
By releasing McCown, the Bucs are definitely going to have a new starting quarterback under center. Whether that is Mike Glennon or either Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston won’t be decided for months to come but if anything it shows the Bucs are willing to go with a young gun moving forward as the team seeks to find its true first franchise quarterback.
McCown signed a two-year, $10 million contract last offseason after throwing 13 touchdowns and just one interception in eight games with the Chicago Bears.
However, he struggled mightily to produce similar numbers in Tampa Bay. McCown was 1-10 as a starter while throwing for 2,206 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His lone win was a 27-7 victory against the Washington Redskins. The 35-year-old was also benched in favour of Glennon for five games due to his poor play.
Releasing McCown also improves the likelihood that Glennon isn’t traded. It was widely speculated that Glennon could be moved in the offseason but with McCown now out of the fold, Glennon has value to the Bucs as the team’s potential starter or to serve as a very serviceable backup.
In 2014, Glennon threw for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns and six picks while completing 57.6 per cent of his passes. Glennon is one of just two quarterbacks on the Bucs roster: the other is Seth Lobato.
However, it is not out of the question the Bucs still move Glennon and sign a different experienced quarterback such as free agent options Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer, Michael Vick, Jake Locker or Colt McCoy, among others.
What it boils down to is that the Bucs will almost certainly now draft Mariota or Winston with the first overall pick. Yet, it shouldn’t be dismissed that Tampa Bay trades back to pick up more assets and goes with Glennon at quarterback, although the chances of that appear slim.