Browns rumors: Colt McCoy expected to be traded or released ‘soon’

The odd man out in Cleveland, quarterback Colt McCoy is expected to be traded or released by the Browns.

Mar 27, 2013, 6:39 PM UTC

Chris Graythen

Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy could be on his way out, as the Browns are expected to either release or trade McCoy soon, according to a report from Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

More: Dawgs by Nature

The Browns signed quarterback Jason Campbell on Tuesday and with Brandon Weeden taking over as the starter last season, McCoy is now expendable. Once thought to be the starting quarterback of the future, McCoy could be traded for a late round pick or released if Cleveland is unable to find a trade partner. Cleveland does not plan to release McCoy, according to NFL.com's Albert Breer, but the source did not rule out a trade.

Cleveland selected McCoy in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He served as Weeden’s backup last season, but with new head coach Rob Chudzinski taking over, there is some question as to whether McCoy would fit in Chudzinski’s downfield passing offense. According to Dawgs By Nature, McCoy has a 2013 base salary of $2.51 million, but he will be owed just $187,750 if released.

While he may no longer be a fit in Cleveland, McCoy could generate significant interest on the trade market. McCoy is still relatively young at 26 and has started 21 games in his career. A number of teams are searching for starting or backup quarterbacks. The Raiders, Bills, Jaguars and Cardinals could all be in the market for a starting quarterback and may have interest in bringing McCoy in to compete for the starting job.

The Seattle Seahawks could be another team to keep any eye on. While Seattle has its starting quarterback in Russell Wilson, the Seahawks could be in the market for a backup. As Danny Kelly of Field Gulls wrote, Seattle may trade current backup Matt Flynn. If they do, McCoy could provide a relatively inexpensive replacement. One of the biggest knocks on McCoy is his lack of size, but at 6'1, he's actually taller than Wilson.