Dec 4, 2011; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy (12) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
If you haven’t heard, quarterback Colt McCoy, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns out of the University of Texas (Longhorns) in 2010, was traded to the San Francisco 49ers yesterday. Sending McCoy and their 6th pick to the San Francisco 49ers for their 5th and 7th round picks.
Now, Phil Dawson, also a former Cleveland Brown, was recently picked up by the San Francisco 49ers to kick for them, replacing David Akers. Both Colt McCoy and Phil Dawson attended and played for the University of Texas Longhorns so when Colt was drafted, Dawson took him under his wing.
The two former Cleveland Browns are team mates once again, but this time on a contender who nearly took home the Lombardi Trophy last season. Phil Dawson, as we know will be the starting kicker, but McCoy will once again get the back up role, behind 25 year old break out star from last season, Colin Kaepernick.
I support all my Texas Longhorns who get picked up by any team in the league, no matter if it’s the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, whichever. When McCoy was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, I was pretty excited, but worried at the same time.
The way McCoy ended his college career shocked not only myself, but people of the Texas Longhorns nation. After taking a hit in the National Championship Game against Alabama early on in the game, hurting his shoulder and pretty much his father pulling him, to make sure he wouldn’t do any more damage and was ready for his NFL career. Which is understandable, the kid has done a lot for that team and continued to give us Texas Longhorns fans something to cheer about.
Now the situation he is in, is really a win-lose situation. No, he will not start or take the starting position away from Colin Kaepernick, but the system McCoy will be apart of, should mold him into a quarterback he has the potential to be in the National Football League. I’m not knocking the Cleveland Browns, I actually think, Yes, I actually think the Cleveland Browns have something going for them and could possibly be a solid contender in the future as long as they keep making the right moves. But McCoy didn’t really have the weapons he has now, plus bringing in former Chicago Bear, Jason Campbell, who got his first regular season start against the San Francisco 49ers last season, was brought in to back up Brandon Weeden.
Being behind a guy like Colin Kaepernick and possibly Scott Tolzien (see how things go during camp/preseason), should balance the young talent they have on this team. Determined to reach the NFC Championship and Super Bowl again, McCoy, in my opinion will benefit from this trade, not only for a chance to be a part of a Super Bowl caliber team, but a possible starter again for another team in the league. His numbers aren’t as bad, but at the same time, I don’t think they were as good as anybody expected. I am still and always will be a believer in Colt McCoy and I am happy that he is now in a system that could help him develop more.
The numbers on McCoy as of today are the following: 409-702 (completions-attempts) 58.3 percentage, 21-20 (touchdowns-interceptions), 4,388 passing yards and a 74.8 career passer rating. He also went 6-15 as a starter for the Cleveland Browns, playing 8 games his rookie season and starting 13 in 2011 before he was nearly destroyed by James Harrison.
This could possibly be the best move of Colt McCoy’s career, until he gets brought in by another team in need of a starting quarterback. But the question is, does anybody believe Colt McCoy has what it takes to be a starter in this league? Call me crazy, but I do.