Cleveland Browns: Josh McCown no longer needed in Dallas

Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown should see his name removed from the trade rumor mill after the recent play of Dallas Cowboys rookie Dak Prescott.

The Cleveland Browns are set to be led by quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2016, putting Josh McCown back in the familiar role of being a backup.

McCown is a reliable quarterback, but never seemed to have what it takes to be a permanent starter in the NFL.

But while he is not relied upon to be a starter, his experience and guidance makes him a valuable backup quarterback. That value was put in the spotlight recently when Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Kellen Moore broke his ankle earlier this month.

The Cowboys drafted Dak Prescott in the fourth round, but Moore was seen as the presumptive backup. Once he went down, the Cowboys seemed to be in the market for a veteran backup.

Nick Foles was an option, until he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving McCown as someone the Cowboys could go after.

The initial rumors died down, but McCown still remained a possible trade target. This would leave Austin Davis and Cody Kessler as the only quarterbacks behind Griffin, meaning the quarterback room would have lost a great deal of experience overnight.

Well, it looks like McCown won’t be going anywhere in 2016, or at least not to the Dallas Cowboys.

Prescott was given a chance to prove his worth and, even though its only the preseason, he has made Jerry Jones look like a genius for drafting him.

In Week 1 of the preseason, Prescott finished 10 for 12 with 139 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams. It was a great performance, but was not viewed as anything too great with it being the opening week of the preseason.

That all changed this past weekend when Prescott had himself another amazing game. The rookie completed 12 of his 15 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and added two rushing touchdowns in a 41-14 win over the Miami Dolphins.

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This outing solidified him as the team’s backup, and potentially the quarterback of the future. Once again, it is only the preseason, but he can become a great quarterback if given time to learn and mature behind Tony Romo.

This is great news for the Browns, as McCown should remain on the team all season to mentor Griffin and Kessler. Someone like Griffin needs a veteran to keep him in check and also to support him when things get rough.

He also serves as a viable replacement in case Griffin does go down at any point during the year, allowing Kessler to remain on the sidelines instead of being put on the field before he is ready.

Next: Browns should not sign Karlos Williams

Browns fans may have not realized how valuable McCown was until he left, but it seems like he is here to stay for the duration of the 2016 season.

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