Potential Cleveland Browns target Gerald McCoy is now available
By Joseph Cantz
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers plan to release six-time Pro-Bowler Gerald McCoy. The Cleveland Browns have been linked to McCoy for months, could they make a move for him?
At 7 pm Monday, news broke that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers plan to release six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy. He was due $13 million this season, but the Bucs decided to save cap space by releasing him.
In 2014, Tampa Bay had made McCoy the highest paid at his position ever. While he may not be at the level he was when he signed that contract, McCoy is still one of the premier defensive linemen in this league.
He still tallied six sacks last season and could benefit from being in a rotation where he is no longer the focus of the offensive line. The Cleveland Browns look to be a potential suitor for the Oklahoma product.
The fact that he has been released should be intriguing to Browns fans because the team has been linked to McCoy for weeks — and his release would make the potential pairing that much more likely.
Even with the offseason additions of Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon, it would not surprise me to see Gerald McCoy added to the mix in the very near future. John Dorsey has long said that he wants guys that can get after the quarterback, and McCoy is more than able to do so.
Adding this kind of depth to an already formidable defensive line should make fans giddy. The issue that arises is that the Browns do not really have a ton of cap space either. According to Spotrac.com, their remaining cap space sits around $33 million. They have several players whose contracts will be up next season and will likely want to resign a few of them, so rollover will be important.
However, the move could still be made if they want to sign him to a short-term deal or if McCoy is willing to take a pay cut.
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Gerald McCoy would be an exciting addition to the Browns’ revamped roster. His veteran presence and undeniable ability would make him an integral piece of the defensive puzzle. Plus, bringing him in would allow defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to rotate his guys more and keep them fresh for a potential playoff run. If the Browns want him, I expect the whole deal to move very quickly.