Josh McCown Won’t Come Cheap
March 8th, 2014
$1 million for each finger?
Joe looks at the fat cash retread quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Chad Henne just locked down in free agency as backups/possible starters/potential rookie mentors and it’s clear Josh McCown will cost the Bucs a pile of money. That assumes the Bucs hotly pursue McCown this afternoon when the free-agency tampering window opens at noon.
McCown has got to be considered as good as those guys.
Per CBS Sports, Cassel and Henne will gobble up plenty of cash.
Instead of becoming a free agent though, Cassel decided to re-sign with Minnesota where he’ll make an average of $5 million per season over the next two years. Cassel’s deal is similar to the two-year, $8 million deal Chad Henne signed in Jacksonville on Friday.
Jiminy Christmas! Joe would take Mike Glennon over Henne.
If McCown is worth at the least the $4 million Henne commanded, then imagine what Michael Vick would demand? Oh, well. Joe doesn’t like Vick or McCown as starters, or Glennon for that matter, but Joe would be pleased to have McCown in Tampa competing in 2014 and working with first-round rookie QB like a Johnny Football or Teddy Bridgewater.
Yes, it’s a beautiful Saturday and Joe is allowed to dream.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:21 am
Honestly, we’ve got Glennon under a rooki contract, a potential new rookie this year and then a QB that we’re not paying elite cash to. It could be a lot worse
March 8th, 2014 at 11:26 am
Every dollar that goes to a McCown or Vick is a dollar less for an elite free agent pass rusher.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:30 am
I just don’t see the value in it at this point. I would love it if we drafted a 1st rd QB. But even if that does not happen, I would rather go with Glennon and not commit that kind of cap room to a retread. How much better is McCown than MG8? Is that marginal difference worth $10M+ in cap space over 2 yrs? I’d rather spend it on some other “need” position: DE or Guard, etc. Heck, spend it on a great slot WR to appease the MGMers that their boy doesn’t have enough weapons.. That seems to me to be a much better use of financial resources than a retread QB
March 8th, 2014 at 11:31 am
agree with Jordan, more “value” to be found at defensive end in FA
March 8th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Worse than 32 ranked patrick?
March 8th, 2014 at 11:35 am
@Harry
This is something we can agree on. Makes no sense to spend this kind of money on a 34 yr old career back up. Would much much rather draft a QB in the 1st round if we are looking for a new starter.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:38 am
Harry,
Outside of V-Jax, and the emerging Tim Wright, Glennon did not have much to work with last year.
I would be excited to see us grab a couple of mid round WRs. I am intrigued by the Abberdebis kid from Wisconsin, and if Greg Robinson/Jake Mathews/Jadeveon Clowney/Khalil Mack aren’t there at #7, we should take Watkins.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:40 am
The only 30+ year old free agents that should get a sniff are Peppers and Allen. Both, could get 10+ sacks on their own.
If we are looking to bring in some young blood, then bring in Mike and Mike: Mike Bennett and Mike Johnson.
Either way, we need some pass rushers in the worst way.
I would be happy to see Peanut Tillman and Hester at the right price.
Do we take a look at Sproles?
March 8th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Joe,
Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel are not as good as Glennon.
Both, are small, and will be punished in the NFL.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:42 am
I can easily see McCown wrangling upwards of 6 mil a year on a 2 year deal. That’s not back-breaking in terms of the cap, I’m just not sure we need another backup QB for that salary when we’ve got Glennon on the cheap for 3 more yrs.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:45 am
To elaborate, Joe, both of those college QBs are small in stature, but Teddy is the only one with small hands.
If we use the 7th overall pick for a QB, then I pray it is Manziel. Carr, Teddy, Bortles are not worth it.
I don’t know how we pass on one of: Sammy Watkins, Jake Mathews, Greg Robinson, Khalil Mack, or Jadeveon Clowney.
If all of those guys are gone, I am looking at: trade back, Taylor Lewan/John Manziel….. Put on your Matt Millen hat. 🙂
March 8th, 2014 at 11:48 am
Personally, i think spending that kind of dollars on a backup would be an indication of stupidity and long term downward spiral. We have needs that cost money, the coaching and front office moves this off season will be an indication if we are moving forward or just shuffling feet.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Stranger things have happened, but say the Bucs trade down and take DT Aaron Donald (have interviewed him twice, coming for an on-site visit) and take Derek Carr late.
Carr is pushing a “buy one, get one half off” sale! Draft me and my brother David comes with me at a bargain. Not my idea! Just sayin’!
March 8th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Teams normally don’t pay $5 million for a guy they’re sure will be only a backup, so if they sign McCown or anyone else at a similar number you’ll know their intentions.
Now if they sign a guy at $1-$3 million you’ll know they envision him as an eventual backup to either Glennon or a high-round draft pick.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:59 am
@Coach,
@Steve,
I agree. We can argue all we want about whether MG8 is the future or not. But if Lovie and Tedford don’t see it that way, then go after a QB hard that has potential to be a star. Don’t waste BIG FA money on a QB that has proven to be only good enough to be a backup – get a Johnny or Teddy.
If they feel MG8 is it, fine. But still don’t spend the money on a McCown. As a value FA, I like WRs: Andre Roberts (64 recep, 750 yds in 2012, & 43, 471 yds in ’13) and Emmanuel Sanders would be a great slot (67/740 yds in ’13). That would provide some help for whoever at QB.
If we like MG8 as the future, the more I read about Mack, the more I like him. Just hope he is not picked by 7.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Like I said yesterday… McCown isn’t going anywhere to be a backup.
And if he signs in Tampa, with the money he’ll get, he won’t be the backup to Beeker. He’ll be the starter. Period.
Thank you and good night.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
@stevek (MGM) Says:
“…Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel are not as good as Glennon… Both, are small, and will be punished in the NFL…”
Come on Steve, Teddy is not near the scrambling QB Johnny is seen as, and Manziel cut his rushing attempts in half from his freshman year to this past year. Teddy is bigger than both Bress and Russell Wilson and Johnny is the same size, so why do you say these things? lol
And you have nothing to back up the “not as good as Glennon” comment, so that is not even worth commenting on.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Actually Steve, I can make a clear statistical argument that MG8 is not as good as either Teddy or Johnny, just by comparing thier accomplishments in college, so that was a very weak claim
March 8th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Lovie, Licht and Tedford will determine who is the better QB and we will know the answer by who they select, or don’t select, in the draft and who they sign or don’t sign in free agency. Anything else is just chatter.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
I tend to agree with FlBoy. The Bears paid McCown 500k last year. Because some of the other alternatives are off the market and teams appear to be looking for stop gaps in lieu of the top-rated draft QBs, it could inflate his price and he could get something at or just below Chad Henne money (2 year/8mil). If the Bucs offer more, they are not thinking back-up QB!
March 8th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
No on McCown. Yes on Matt Schaub or Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez would likely be cheaper.
But Schaub has a playing style closer to Glennon, so it all depends on what Tedford wants.
After doing a bit of research he does tend to go with pocket passers, which seems odd for a college coach.
I’m very skeptical of Tedford though. Even Rodgers had to attend three years of quarterback camps before he was ready after college. And Aaron was Tedfords biggest name and the only QB of his to succeed in the NFL.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Macabee, I don’t think teams are signing journeyman QBs because they don’t think the QBs in the draft are good. I think they are signing competent backups in case whoever is their starting QB goes down.
Really, right now, all the QBs available are pure backups. Even McCown.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Draft Garoppolo or (whoever) in the second round to backup our starting QB Mike Glennon and leave McCown mired in FA. … or if we need a 3rd QB bring back Dr. Orlovsky
Choose either DE, OT, or WR with first pick or trade down if possible.
Bolster our o-line with quality FA’s, and find us one more quality FA CB.
draft for quality depth and development.
Whatever some of you think, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Lovie and the gang don’t have much to work with so they need to make sure that every draft pick, is a quality pick, not a gamble. JM is a gamble, especially when 2-3 QB needy teams don’t draft him before us. If they feel he’s a risk, why in the world would Lovie and the gang take that risk?
March 8th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
I wouldn’t call Vick a “pure backup”. He still has the capability of starting in this league and having some success. I just don’t want him doing that in Tampa.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
Neither Minnesota nor Jacksonville have legitimate starting QBs, in my opinion, so paying $4-5 mil a year for potential starters/strong backups like Cassel and Henne makes sense I think. My gut feel is that both teams will draft a QB in the first round. The Bucs are in a somewhat different situation in that Mike Glennon is a legitimate starting QB I think, much along the lines of Brad Johnson, although the more competition the better. He’s obviously not as mobile as some QBs like Wilson but, given a decent OL, WRs, and RB, he’s got a decent shot at winning the starting job (a lot of Ifs there admittedly). In my opinion, every team needs a strong backup QB because the odds of the starter making it through 16 games (plus the playoffs hopefully) aren’t that fantastic. If Josh McCown can be signed for $5 mil or less a year, I’d hope that we’d grab him.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Please no vick. Myself, I would not go to a game if vick is on the team.
March 8th, 2014 at 12:42 pm
BuccaneerBonzai,
You may be 100% right that that is their motive. You make my point that they are looking at stop gaps whatever their motive, which tends to make more of a market for the McCowns of the NFL. Thanks for the reinforcement!
March 8th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
I hope we don’t waste cap space on McCown. For one it never works out. These backups have a couple of decent games and teams rush to sign them as saviors. Secondly, why play a QB that everybody knows isn’t a Super Bowl capable QB, so we are stuck as a 8-8 or 9-7 like we were in 90s. No thanks. I’d rather put up 4-12 seasons and be able to draft in the top 5 for QBs instead of wasting good defense year after year like in the late 90’s. It’s a travesty that we only have one trophy during that era.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Watch Lovie bring in Sexy Rexy he’s a free agent
March 8th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
ON TO THE NEXT ONE
the light finally comes on at 34 and he wants double figures lol being a back up and not making that kind of money all these years in the league should have made his light come on…for all we know his success was a product of they system he was in, some foolish team will take a chance hoping he can do something he’s never done and carry an offense for a full season, i just hope it isnt us
chicago fired you lovie, your a buc now so what if your familiar with josh, he’s nearly your age for crying out loud. he’s coming in to compete with glennon and i honestly dont think he’s much of an upgrade which says more about mccown than it does glennon
March 8th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
@FLBoyInDallas Says:
“…Lovie, Licht and Tedford will determine who is the better QB and we will know the answer by who they select, or don’t select, in the draft and who they sign or don’t sign in free agency. Anything else is just chatter…”
darn, did not know this… Thank you for enlightening us. I am sure Joe did not know this either or why would he provide this blog and his opinions. Joe, shut down this blog, its just chatter (true). Lovie is making the final decision, not any of us… lol
March 8th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
So were still using the glennon didnt have enough weapons to work with excuse…he had mike williams for a few games and the offense was still bad and who threw that pass to doug martin that put him on injured reserve? the truth is we have alot of needs and just like every team every year you cant address every need in one offseason….there are no option in free agency anymore and mike glennon at worse can eventually become a nick foles. if we cant get a worthy qb in the draft with upside then why not go with mr. checkdown
were about to find out just how desperate tampa is for a quarterback….use that money on a pass rusher and having only 5 picks in this draft anyway, find a way to move up if their so desperate
March 8th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
QBs in this league, even ones that are average or below average, are expensive.
Even decent backups will cost $4+ million a year. It’s just the going rate for QBs in this league.
March 8th, 2014 at 7:58 pm
MG8 is the man.
March 8th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Ridiculous dollars being thrown at backup QBs and I don’t want to see Vick back up the Wells Fargo armored truck to Glazer Bank. Instead, it makes more sense for the Bucs to let Glennon start the season as the starter and draft a rookie with their first or second round pick. Then, Glennon either proves he is worthy of remaining the starter, or they replace him with the rookie of Tedford’s choice once he says the rookie is ready to go.
Therefore, Watkins in the first (unless Bortles or Bridgewater are still available), then Carr, Garopplo or McCarren in the 2nd. And for insurance, they should take Murray in the 4th or 5th. Tedford should be able to find the franchise guyt for that group of QBs.
March 8th, 2014 at 11:14 pm
In my opinion Orlovsky can play better than Glennon and had a better passing percentage than anyone else in the past two Preseasons and two years ago hit 75 percent of his passes and did not get a fair shot to compete this last year because of Know It All Schiano. Hire him. Then draft a QB in the first round.