Colt McCoy: Browns QB Deserves Little More Than Backup Gig With Packers

The Cleveland Browns have gone back and forth the last two days on the idea of trading quarterback Colt McCoy, but all indications now seem to point to Cleveland unloading the third-year quarterback sooner rather than later. 

If the Browns do end up dealing McCoy, a backup role with the Green Bay Packers appears to be the best gig McCoy could ask for. A chance to start, at least for the 2012 season, isn't going to be an option. 

According to Bill Huber of the Packer Report, Green Bay has considered trading for McCoy to fill the role behind Aaron Rodgers that Matt Flynn vacated this offseason. As of Saturday, no team has been rumored to want McCoy as a starter. 

McCoy became expendable Thursday night when the Browns took Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden at No. 22 overall in the first round. While Weeden is far from a sure thing, teams don't usually take first-round quarterbacks—especially in this age of impatience at the position—without thinking that player can be a year-one starter. The Browns are no different. 

GM Tom Heckert told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that it is likely that Weeden starts for the Browns next season. 

There's a reason why Cleveland was non-committal to McCoy this offseason and then drafted a soon-to-be 29-year-old quarterback in the first round: McCoy simply isn't a starting-quality quarterback in the NFL right now. 

A 21-game starter with the Browns, McCoy threw 20 touchdowns against 20 interceptions for a 74.5 career passer rating. His career 58.4 completion percentage is well below what teams running a West Coast offense want, and a 5.9 yards-per-attempt average last season shows just how hesitant McCoy was throwing the ball down field.

Perhaps most damning was Cleveland's 6-15 record in 21 games started by McCoy. That kind of statistical and win-loss package screams not of a starter in the NFL, but a guy that should be backing up one. 

McCoy's trade market—or lack there of—also illustrates this point. No team appears ready to give McCoy a chance to even compete for a starting job, even though many GMs remain desperate to get good quarterback play on their roster.

In the end, McCoy doesn't deserve that chance to compete for a starting job. 

His best-case scenario might be a trade to Green Bay, where he can get away from the starting spotlight and learn the quarterback position from some of the NFL's best. A couple years of taking Mike McCarthy's quarterback school, coupled with a backup role behind Rodgers, and McCoy could have starting value again. 

But for the 2012 season, McCoy isn't getting a second chance to start elsewhere. He looks destined to be wearing a ball cap and holding a clipboard next year, be it in Cleveland, Green Bay or elsewhere.