New York Jets: Josh McCown’s presence makes rebuild plan confusing
If the New York Jets are rebuilding, having a $6 million quarterback like Josh McCown is confusing.
There is never a dull moment in the land of the New York Jets, is there? Just as we hit the dull period in the NFL offseason, the Jets have their most newsworthy week since the NFL draft. They released David Harris in the most unclassy way, and announced that Eric Decker will be either traded or released. According to Spotrac, all told the Jets have freed up $49.9 million in cap space. Salary cap room can be carried over to 2018, but clearly, they are in a rebuild mode.
According to an NFL executive, the Jets might have the worst roster in a decade (via Will Brinson of CBS Sports). Brinson believes that might be possible, although without seeing the team on the field that is a difficult leap to make. One thing is for sure. This is not a team that, on paper, is ready to compete with the New England Patriots in 2017.
So, the Jets are rebuilding, right? They are taking the steps to make the team younger. Mike Maccagnan has been releasing salary cap money left and right. The youth movement is in place, isn’t it? Well it is, except for one place. Really, except for one person, so there is one question that must be asked…
Why is Josh McCown on this team for $6 million?
Josh McCown was brought to New York to be a “mentor”, and a veteran influence with the young quarterbacks in the room. It’s hard to say he could teach much about winning with a quarterback record of 18-42, but that is for a different discussion.
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He is also in town to be a “bridge” quarterback, to play until either Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty are ready to play. But now, with nearly all of the veteran players gone, why keep McCown? What was the point? The Jets might as well take their lumps with one of the kids behind center, at least that will give something interesting for the fans to watch.
Okay, let’s take it the other way and assume that a bridge quarterback is important, even though there are no veterans left. The Jets want someone to hold down the fort. Why pay a guy $6 million? Chase Daniel signed for $900,000. T.J. Yates signed for $815,000. Matt McGloin signed for $800,000 (via Spotrac). The Jets could have signed one of these guys and kept a couple of veterans. Do you mean to tell me that Josh McCown is worth the money but David Harris isn’t?
It just doesn’t make any sense. It gives the appearance that, as Rich Cimini of ESPN pointed out, that there are conflicting agendas going on at the top with the Jets. The general manager is trying to build for the future while the coach wants to keep his job. If Hackenberg is as far off as it sounds, Todd Bowles is stuck with Josh McCown. But with a stripped down roster, is he going to be successful?
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A rebuild takes commitment from all sides. Is starting a $6 million quarterback in keeping with that commitment? It just seems that the Jets really don’t understand the plan. Either that, or there really isn’t one. Both scenarios are bad.