The NFL draft
Colt McCoy trades up? After another Cleveland NFL indignity, Packers, Cowboysand Eagles look pretty good
- Colt McCoy
- Brandon Weeden
- All three teams need a new QB
Colt McCoy deserves better, and that's just what he might get.
Last season the former Texas Longhorn star QB — the kid that took the team to the brink of another National Championship, twice — was the toast of Cleveland. The Browns drafted McCoy as a late round project in 2010. By the middle of the 2010 season Colt was a starter, leading the Browns to four wins and in the process becoming an immediate superstar in Cleveland, a city who's football team badly needs a superstar. He started every game in 2011 until a controversial concussion sidelined him in week 14 of the season.
The Browns committed to Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback, even telling him on draft day that they wouldn't be adding a QB — until they drafted Weeden and announced unequivocally that Weeden will start.
After repeatedly being screwed by the Cleveland Browns, it appears McCoy is on his way out of a perennial loser and on his way in to a contender. The Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl favorite Green Bay Packers are rumored to be talking to Cleveland about a trade for McCoy after the Browns surprised NFL fans drafting Oklahoma State star QB Brandon Weedon as their second draft pick, the 22nd overall. (Alabama running back Trent Richardson was Cleveland's first pick, third overall.)
McCoy spent most of his 2011 season running for his life. The Cleveland Browns offensive line was porous, and when he had a moment to throw, the most accurate passer in the history of the NCAA had receivers that were truly offensive.
In week 14 of last season, McCoy was the recipient of a helmet to helmet hit courtesy the Steelers' James Harrison. The hit knocked McCoy out for a moment on the field. He came out for a play and then returned only to throw an interception. McCoy told his Dad he doesn't even remember the play; his father fiercely criticized the Browns coaching staff for letting his son come back on the field, and the Browns found themselves defending their medical protocols.
The Browns and the McCoy's apparently are not over their feud. It started with Cleveland's inability to add any offensive tools for their young quarterback to work with, and it ended with McCoy staggering out to the huddle with a concussion that the Brown's coaches decided wasn't bad enough to keep him sidelined.
The Green Bay Packers — who just lost Aaron Rogers' back-up Matt Flynn to Seattle — need a quarterback. And Colt McCoy would be a good fit. The Packers run a complicated pass-first scheme that requires insanely accurate throws from Rogers to insanely talented receivers like Greg Jennings. McCoy remains one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. He can run, he's smart, he's tough, all things that scream Green Bay Packer. Finally, Packer head coach Mike McCarthy may be the best quarterback coach in the NFL. McCoy could do worse than going from also-ran Brown to Super Bowl contending Packer.
The Cowboys also appear interested. Okay, the Cowboys may be a play-off contender, but they hardly deliver Packer-style weapons and have no recent history suggesting they know how to develop a quarterback. Still, Dallas would give him a warm reception both from the fans and from the weather.
Dallas is a long way from Cleveland, Philadelphia is not. The Eagles are another team in need of a back-up quarterback and rumored to be discussing a trade with Cleveland. McCoy would take over the back-up role from.... wait for it... Vince Young. My, how life throws irony at you from every direction.
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Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated McCoy's wins with the Browns in 2010. We regret the error.