Gerald McCoy Rumors: Odell Beckham Jr. Lobbying for Browns; Patriots Interested

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Gerald McCoy on Monday, and the veteran defensive tackle already has suitors.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Cleveland Browns "have inquired" about McCoy and "are interested in possibly signing him."

New wideout Odell Beckham Jr. is rooting for that outcome:

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times also reported the Browns, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers are among the teams "wanting to sign him."

Both situations would make sense for McCoy. In Cleveland, he'd pair with Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson and Myles Garrett to form a nasty defensive line. The Patriots, meanwhile, would offer championship pedigree and a defensive mastermind in head coach Bill Belichick.

McCoy's departure from Tampa Bay doesn't come as a surprise. Per Stroud: "McCoy gave the Bucs a binary choice. Pay me the $13 million for 2019 or release me. No hometown discounts. If he was going to take less money, it would be to chase a championship with another team."

The Bucs reportedly allowed McCoy and his agent the opportunity to seek a trade before he was released, but nothing materialized. They are reportedly interested in replacing him with Ndamukong Suh on a one-year, $10 million deal.

McCoy, 31, registered 28 tackles and six sacks in 2018 in 14 games. He earned a grade of 78.6 from Pro Football Focus, 28th among interior defensive linemen. It was a solid season, though it wasn't the sort of dominant showing McCoy offered in his prime.

And new Bucs head coach Bruce Arians noticed.

"He's not as disruptive as he was four years ago," he said in March, per Cabot. "He's still a good player. If he's here, he's our starting 3 [technique]. No doubt about that."

McCoy is no longer there, and it appears he's looking to sign with a contender.