The Browns began Tuesday by releasing a new logo, but the revelation of a scheduled visit might trump the brighter shade of orange for biggest news of the day.
Josh McCown is visiting the team Wednesday, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source informed of his plans. McCown also visited the team on Tuesday and has also visited the Buffalo Bills and met with the Chicago Bears at the combine.
Despite a rough going in his lone season in Tampa Bay, McCown is the leading man in a very unappealing group of free agent quarterbacks. The 35-year-old's release from the Buccaneers earlier this month immediately vaulted him to the top of a class that includes Mark Sanchez, Brian Hoyer and Jake Locker, among others.
After signing a two-year, $10 million contract last offseason, McCown started 11 games for a Buccaneers team that finished with the league's worst mark at 2-14. The veteran injured his thumb in a Week 3 shellacking at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons, and lost his job to backup Mike Glennon before again taking over in Week 10. Tampa Bay went 1-10 with McCown as its starter.
It was a radical departure from McCown's stellar 2013 season in Chicago. Tasked with filling in for an injured Jay Cutler, McCown performed admirably, tossing 11 touchdowns and just one interception in eight games as the quarterback helped keep the Bears in the NFC North race. His play was good enough to land him on Around The NFL's list of candidates poised to "make the leap" in 2014 -- but he instead fell flat in Florida.
Evidently, Hoyer's scattered performance in Cleveland wasn't enough to convince the Browns to rush to re-sign him, and combined with Johnny Manziel's recent admittance into a rehab facility, the team is exploring all options at the position. For a franchise that has at best wallowed in mediocrity at the quarterback position -- Hoyer is the only one with a winning record among 22 total starters under center since 1999 -- choosing to host a quarterback who has been about as average in his career isn't surprising.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews free agency and tells you which big-name players could be released. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
