In an age where top quarterbacks are starting to earn close to $30 million per year, while their back-ups can make around $5 million per year, it’s fitting that the New York Jets re-signed Josh McCown for just $10 million on a one year deal.
Examining Josh McCown’s Contract
NFL contracts are all about matching up your money against your peers. After Kirk Cousins received a contract earning him $28 million per year with the Minnesota Vikings and Sam Bradford will earn $20 million from the Arizona Cardinals, it makes perfect sense that McCown will make only $10 million in the Big Apple.
In a sport with a salary cap, teams need to conserve their money as much as possible. Paying the 38-year-old journeyman $10 million for one year does exactly that.
McCown vs. The Others
His resume certainly stacks up against the other unproven players, especially at his price tag. There is no debate that Cousins is a better quarterback than McCown, but the money says he is three times as good. The latter is up to debate.
Cousins has never won a playoff game and has come up short in big moments. At the end of the 2016 season, the Washington Redskins needed a win over the New York Giants to make the playoffs. In that game, he threw one touchdown and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times.
Cousins is nine years younger than McCown and that definitely works in his favor. However, when you compare the stats, they are pretty similar.
Bradford’s contract only makes the Jets re-signing McCown look astronomically better. Bradford has played all 16 games only once in his eight-year career. Though his stats have been above average at times, Bradford has never won more than seven games in a season.
The last quarterback to be signed was A.J. McCarron, who will earn $10 million over two years. That money is going to a quarterback with three career starts.
Before his injury last season, McCown completed 67 percent of his passes and threw for twice the amount of touchdowns than interceptions. He finished the year with a higher completion percentage and passer rating than Cousins.
McCown is still a serviceable gunslinger and can mentor any young quarterbacks the Jets have on the roster. Coaches have raved about his ability to teach younger players along with how valuable he is to have in the locker room.
Bottom Line
McCown isn’t a great quarterback. He’s 38 and has never won a playoff game. At times he shows promise and coaches say he is great to have to mentor younger players. He really isn’t too much. But, when you compare him to the other quarterbacks who just got paid, it makes his contract worth it.
