NFL Free Agency 2018: One move each team should make
Arizona Cardinals: Sign QB Josh McCown
As things stand now, the Arizona Cardinals do not have a single quarterback on the roster. With Carson Palmer retiring and Drew Stanton, Blaine Gabbert and Matt Barkley all hitting the market as unrestricted free agents, the Cardinals have a ton of work to do at the most important position.
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Arizona could easily be involved with the top-tier free agent quarterbacks, but it is not like they are in a great cap situation. They will also be involved with the quarterbacks in the draft class, but with Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson and a loaded defense, the Cardinals are set up to win now with the right quarterback. They may not want to immediately hand over this ready-made roster to a rookie who is not ready. With that in mind, I see Josh McCown as an ideal free agent target for this team.
McCown is a journeyman quarterback who is coming off of the best season of his career. At 38-years-old, McCown completed 67.3% of his passes for 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions with the New York Jets. He was a consistent presence for the Jets, playing at a high level without a lot of talent around him. The Jets entered the season with the lowest of expectations and McCown was able to a lead them to a 5-11 record that was better than they were expected to finish. Plus, all five of their wins came in his 13 starts for the team.
McCown is far from the most exciting option in NFL free agency for Arizona, but he is a reliable quarterback who would give them a chance to compete for a relatively low cost. Signing McCown would give the Cardinals an opportunity to draft a quarterback this offseason and groom him behind a smart veteran starter.