There have been mutterings around the sports world, especially here in Austin, about the Cleveland Browns cutting former Texas QB Colt McCoy. Folks in Texas wouldn't mind - we'd probably hope the Cowboys or Texans would pick him up. Keep hoping. Cleveland is NOT cutting McCoy.
Will McCoy be on the opening day roster for the Browns? Absolutely not. He's probably the 4th string QB right now, behind Jake Delhomme, Senaca Wallace, and some dude you've never heard of. Come September 12, when the Browns kick off their season, you can expect Colt to have the best seat in the house - in some press box, with headphones on, watching the game as a spectator.
Consider this his redshirt season at Texas. His seasoning on the bench behind Vince Young apparently did him so good. Delhomme is no VY, obviously, but McCoy is learning an entirely new way to play his position. He hasn't been under center for 4 years. The speed of the game in the AFC north far outclasses anything that Baylor, Rice, or the Iowa States of the world threw at him over the past 4 seasons in Austin. He doesn't have his roommate Jordan Shipley to throw to. A lot is working against the success of Colt, and a year to get acclimated to the life of an NFL QB is EXACTLY what he needs. Browns President and GM Mike Holmgren has a knack for making some pretty impressive decisions regarding his quarterbacks (see Brett Favre and Matt Hasselback), so we should trust he knows what he is doing here.
McCoy won't see the field this year. He'll be lucky to wear a jersey. Head Coach Eric Mangini is trying to save his job - remember when Cleveland brought Holmgren in, most folks assumed Mangini was gone. You can bet he feels the pressure from above to win. Now. McCoy is the solution for the future. NFL rosters are limited to 53, and only 46 dress for game day. Do you think Mangini is going to use one of those spots on a 4th string QB who has no business being on the field now? Of course not. Mangini needs to win to save his job. McCoy can do nothing but hurt his chances of doing that this season.
The press continued to hound Mangini about the status of McCoy. They asked whether Colt will be part of the team this year. Finally, Mangini alluded to the truth - No, in fact, our 3rd round pick will NOT be a part of plan to win this season. Well duh.
The Browns invested an absurd amount of money into McCoy. He was paid a signing bonus that was nearly unprecedented for a 3rd round player, with a guaranteed $1 million. Holmgren has repeated said that Colt is the future. Obviously, Cleveland has made their choice for the long term. But that doesn't mean his learning curve should be hampered, or his play be allowed to hamstring Coach Mangini for 2010.
Think about the position former OU quarterback Sam Bradford is in. He starts tonight. Against the New England Patriots, behind an embarrassment of an offensive line. Here's a kid who hasn't taken a snap in ANY game since October of 2009. His last 3 games have been unimpressive, with 2 shoulder injuries, 3 losses, and a subpar showing against anything resembling a decent defense. And that was on the collegiate level. Does the name David Carr ring a bell? Bradford is getting thrown to the wolves, expected to learn a new system, adjust to the increased speed of the game, earn the respect of his teammates, and deal with absurd expectations, all while being tabbed the savior of a long-languishing franchise. You're talking about odds against success stacked so high, even Bob Stoops couldn't help young Sammy out.
So let the kid from Tuscola "redshirt". Keep him off the field. Let him learn through some seasoned vets about the rigors of this game on the pro level. Don't panic. Come 2012, you'll see him flinging the ball around. Likely with Holmgren back in a head coaching role. For now - just buy his jersey, wear it on Saturday, and hope new Texas QB Garrett Gilbert learned enough from the Real McCoy to help Texas on the field this year. Cause Colt won't be helping Cleveland in 2010. And that's OK.
Well said, sir!
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