Cleveland Browns: Josh McCown could be on the move soon

Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Josh McCown is being looked at by the Dallas Cowboys as a possible replacement for the injured Kellen Moore.

The possibility of the Cleveland Browns trading Josh McCown did not seem likely at the beginning of the week.

Then the Dallas Cowboys lost their backup quarterback when Kellen Moore got injured Tuesday, opening the trade rumor floodgates.

We published an article yesterday on how the Browns shouldn’t trade McCown this year, along with another one on how he could be a fit in Dallas. The latter is more relevant now as McCown has been linked to the Cowboys, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, who said a source confirmed that McCown is being looked at by the Cowboys as a potential replacement for Moore.

Backing up Tony Romo is an important job after numerous injuries to the Cowboys’ signal caller over the past few years. McCown would give the team an experienced backup, and one who could be relied on to come into a game if Romo is to go down at any point during the season.

The main target seemed to be Nick Foles, but he is now a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

From the Browns’ perspective, losing McCown would put pressure on Robert Griffin III to hold down the quarterback position for all 16 games and be a leader both on and off the field, which is a lot to ask a quarterback who has dealt with injuries throughout his four-year NFL career.

While the Cowboys are looking for an experienced backup, losing McCown would leave the Browns without one, as Cody Kessler and Austin Davis would be the quarterbacks behind Griffin. Kessler is a rookie and Davis has only started 10 games in his entire career.

McCown was expected to be both a backup and a mentor to the younger quarterbacks, although Hue Jackson came out and said the mentorship part of McCown’s presence is not something that would guarantee him a spot on the team, according to Cabot’s article.

If Jackson is not looking for McCown to be a mentor, his fate may be sealed. The Cowboys seem like the most likely destination for McCown in 2016, but other teams may inquire about a trade if he is made available on the market.

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McCown’s name was expected to come up in these types of situations, and it is entirely possible he remains on the Browns for all of 2016. Griffin and the coaching staff just need to be prepared to hold down the quarterback room in case the reliable, knowledgable veteran is gone before the season begins.