NFL Coaches, Execs Rank McCown 24th In NFL

July 3rd, 2014

josh mccown 0618A comprehensive ESPN survey of general managers, former GMs, scouts, working coordinators, head coaches and others employed by NFL teams sought to learn who Xs and Os types believes are the best — and worst — starting quarterbacks in the NFL.

Compilations of the results identified four tiers of gunslingers.

Those queried were asked only to assess projected starting quarterbacks, so Mike Glennon was not part of the festivities. Josh McCown checked in at the bottom of Tier 3, ranked 24th overall among starters.

24. Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Teams will be watching to see how McCown’s 2013 season in Marc Trestman’s system translates to Tampa Bay. Some see a 34-year-old QB with no résumé before last season, when McCown arguably provided an upgrade from Cutler with 13 touchdown passes and one interception.

“We got ready for him last year and boy, did he have a good season,” a defensive coordinator said. “I would have to put him in the three group because you have to factor age in there and it might have just been that perfect storm, but he played well last year. It could have been the system. Maybe it was right with the reads and what they did. Good for him.”

A head coach called McCown “a four who played like a three” or better at times last season. (Joe’s interjection: That “four” represents who those surveyed were asked to rate starters individually, not compared to others. (1 being elite play, 5 being lousy).

For those wondering, Drew Brees finished tied for first, with Matt Ryan tied for 8th, and Cam Newton led the Tier 3 QBs, ranked 16th overall.

What this all means is unclear. But it does tell Joe that many around the league don’t consider McCown to be too better than Glennon. The “quarterback of the future” couldn’t have been much lower than McCown among the ranks of Chad Henne, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, E.J. Manuel and others.

Regardless, McCown, Bucs executives and Bucs fans sure are looking for what feels like a miracle — to have a 35-year-old journeyman to craft a career year behind a shaky offensive line in a brand new offense with a coordinator making his NFL debut.

31 Responses to “NFL Coaches, Execs Rank McCown 24th In NFL”

  1. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Fox Sports 1 ranked the Bucs dead last….32nd…..all these rankings and predictions are entertaining and pose topics for debate….but we are currently 0-0….tied for first….or last in the NFL!!! None of any of means much!

  2. ToesOnTheLine Says:

    It’s not too late to jump on the MG8 starting the season bandwagon guys 🙂

  3. Bucsfanman Says:

    Joe-
    “Regardless, McCown, Bucs executives and Bucs fans sure are looking for what feels like a miracle — to have a 35-year-old journeyman to craft a career year behind a shaky offensive line in a brand new offense with a coordinator making his NFL debut.”

    This is the most poignant statement of the off-season! The expectations are a little too high given the situation.
    More than anyone I want this team to succeed. For those who think we’re coming out of the block looking like a playoff team, prepare to be disappointed when they struggle. I envision a turn-around about mid-season when the line begins to gel.

  4. Bucs Fan #237 Says:

    He was all that was available.

    Even the rookie QBs in the draft were garbage.

    It is not like they had a chance to sign or trade for a guy like Drew Brees.

  5. Brandon Says:

    ToesOnTheLine Says:
    July 3rd, 2014 at 7:44 am
    It’s not too late to jump on the MG8 starting the season bandwagon guys
    ———————
    Glennon would have ranked at or near the bottom.

  6. Mumbles Says:

    December, 2013 Mike Glennon was ranked 21 out of 32 starting QBs.

  7. Buc the Haters Says:

    Great quote by Scott Reynolds on the radio this morning: ‘From what I’ve seen, I think Jeff Tedford’s offense is going to take the NFL by storm this year and propel the Bucs into the playoffs.’

    @ Joes
    You guys have also seen the offense more than practically anyone (in underwear football, but u can still see the schemes, etc…), would you agree with this opinion

    How could Joe made such a statement after seeing next to nothing from a new offense with a shaky O-line that hasn’t been able to touch anyone yet … –Joe

  8. Bob Says:

    This proves nothing other than what the coaches of the Bucs thought of Glennon. To give the starting job to a journeyman QB says it all. Obviously McCown is a bridge. A bridge to whom? We will just have to wait and see . I predict neither will be on the team in 2 years.

  9. Touch_Down_Tampa_Bay Says:

    I must declare. I AM NOT A MGM member!!!

    But if this is the fact:

    “Those queried were asked only to assess projected starting quarterbacks, so Mike Glennon was not part of the festivities.” says, Joe

    Then how does the following make sense?????

    “But it does tell Joe that many around the league don’t consider McCown to be too better than Glennon.” says, Joe.

    Maybe those participating thought Glennon should be starting…

    …Joe you made it too obvious. You are loosing your touch. 🙂 lol

  10. Tom Edrington Says:

    A fair ranking, like so many players on this Buccaneer squad, McCown has a lot to prove.

    Better to start low and perform your way up.

    Probably a great illustrations of why expectations should be withheld and latch on to that “wait and see” mode.

  11. SAMCRO Says:

    So if we had drafted Johnny Manziel all would be well in Bucville. (good grief) …smh

  12. OB Says:

    Joe

    What all of these lists of QBs don’t mention is that if the rest of the team has changed, so will they. Put any of the top ten rated QBs on the worst team in the league and see how they do. Eli Manning went from SB winning to who? I swear Matt Ryan’s team came in last in the division last year yet he is rated the 8th best QB, how? Watch Cam with all of his new receivers learning to catch his kind of thrown football and see what his stats do.

    Our receivers and line plus play calling will make our offense a nightmare for our opponents not to mention our defense, the Task Force, doing a lot of sinking on the other teams.

  13. Burl Morgan Says:

    I believe training camp will make a difference out the gate as they will be a better conditioned Team because of the Florida heat. The defense will set the tone early & I believe that the offense won’t be far behind. Lovie & his staff are the X-Factor here in that they will be well prepared to start the season. History has a way of repeating itself & I feel that the Bucs can duplicate the KC turnaround of last year. I can already hear the detractors but why not. Go Bucs!!! 🙂

  14. Eric Says:

    The person who says it can’t be done should not interfere with the person doing it.

    Go Josh.

  15. Buccfan37 Says:

    Lovie and company have made the Bucs better and more respectable in the fans majority opinion. Outsider non fans and fair weather fan opinions don’t matter.

  16. stevek Says:

    Where does Freeman rank on this list?

    50th?

    Right in front of JaMarcus Russell?

  17. Couch Fan Says:

    We can’t win with the 4th best QB in the division. Right Joe?

  18. Mark from the Block Says:

    That list lost my respect when they listed Andrew Luck as a tier 1 QB. He is not a top 5 quarterback yet. So how does he rank as a top 5 QB?

  19. J 2.0 Says:

    This goes for @ Joes and anyone else …

    Why would anyone want Josh McCown to be the starting QB this year?

    I have spoken to several Bucs fans that want McCown to start over Glennon and I ask them “With McCown starting at QB, where do you expect the Bucs to finish?” and the answer is always anywhere from 6-9 wins. So mediocre at best. That would have us drafting around the middle of the first round in next years draft.

    I ask them “Would Glennon win anymore games?” And the answer is usually “I don’t know.” So Glennon has the potential to win more, but could lose more as well improving our draft pick next season.

    Why not start Glennon and see what he can do? If he goes out there and wins games and does great, then fantastic. We have found a QB of the future. If he fails, fantastic we can draft a QB at the top of the draft next season with no controversy. It makes too much sense.

    Please someone counterpoint.

  20. Nick H Says:

    I always wonder if some of the working coaches/coordinators just randomly fill out names so as not to waste their time and send back incomplete or not entirely truthful lists for these kinds of things.

    Not saying McCown was ranked incorrectly but just these lists in general.

  21. Nick H Says:

    @ J

    I reckon it’s experience > inexperience. They’ve said they’re in win now mode and they believe they’ve got a known quantity in McCown.

    It’s also unfair to just assume Glennon has the potential to win more, a lot of unknowns with both quarterbacks though so I believe it’s an age/experience thing.

  22. J 2.0 Says:

    @Nick

    I get all of that, but what are the chances we win a championship this season? Not high. I also stated its possible that Glennon will lose more games than McCown. And if that is the case we have a shot at a QB at the top of the draft as opposed to hoping to find a gem in the 2nd round.

    Let Glennon sink or swim. Does anyone reallistically believe we will make a deep run into the playoffs with McCown? Don’t get me wrong, I will cheer loudly for whoever is QB and hope the Bucs go 19-0, but lets be real.

    I am just glad we didn’t draft that undersized, party animal, d-bag Belieber for our QB of the future.

  23. Orca Says:

    Oh damn, I guess we have the 4th best QB in the division. I guess we’re doomed… [sarcasm]

  24. Buc89 Says:

    @ J 2.0

    They said they don’t know if glennon would win more games? I’m surprised not every person said “no, glennon will not win more games than mccown.”

    We will see once the season starts whether mccown’s last season was fluke or not. I do feel we have the right weapons on offense and the right pieces on defense to be a playoff team, it really comes down to qb play though. If mccown can throw the ball quickly, accurately and read defenses then the O-line might not be that big of a problem. It’s not like chicago had a good o-line last year, or in the past decade for that matter.

    You made a good point about draft position though, we could start glennon and see if he will sink/swim while getting a better draft spot.

  25. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Buccfan37 Says
    “Lovie and company have made the Bucs better and more respectable in the fans majority opinion.”

    Opinion counts for nothing. You guys are boasting on something that isn’t proven yet. I see it year after year. “Fans” talk about how much better the team is, get their hopes up, then when the team isn’t better, they start pointing fingers. Never mind that it was their own faultfor getting over-hyped.

    Then the mainstay fans have to listen to months of whining until the draft. Then they do it all over again.

    Do I think the team is better? Yes I do. On defense. On offense? No, I do not. I’m not impressed with the new oline at all. Evans is reportedly overweight. Sims is a BACKUP who gets credit for having done nothing yet.

    And really, the defense is only marginally better talent-wise. Johnson has not been consistent and the DT has not been healthy.

    There are a LOT of gambles on this team this year. An entire rookie class expecteed to play at a high level in year one (according to fans like you)?

    I think the team took three steps back and four steps forward. Improved, but not as vastly improved as fans who think new faces equal better talant believe.

  26. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Orca Says
    “Oh damn, I guess we have the 4th best QB in the division. I guess we’re doomed… “

    Say, Orca, just when has Joe’s statement been disproved? Go on, give us the evidence. We’ll wait.

    And wait.

    And wait.

  27. Bill Says:

    It’s the time of year in which news is invented.

  28. owlykat Says:

    Lovie would be foolish to start Glennon to see how he can do. After Glennon wilts under pressure, has a slow, inaccurate delivery, and blows first downs throwing short, and rarely gets 200 yards, no other team will ever want him. However if he starts Josh and he takes us to the playoffs this year, and another team loses their starting QB to injury, they will trade a good pick for Glennon thinking he can be a starter, then we take that pick to package with our first pick and we get Marriota. Josh and Tedford will mentor him into our next Franchise QB who will win our second SB and start a Buc’s Dynasty. Tedford will get a head coach gig elsewhere and Josh will be our new OC and even better than Tedford. L&L will stay together until they both retire and we will be able to get any HC we want then.

  29. Chris Says:

    Like I said we have two back ups battling it out for the starting job. I’m a die hard Buc fan since I started watching and learning the game, but it has been laughable watching this qb debacle over the recent years. Griese, Garcia, like McCown leftwich , freeman, Simms, gradkowski. The list goes on.

    Now we have McCown a journey man back up who’s film is worse than the stats entail last year through 5 games. Glennon who couldn’t lead an offense regardless of a top 5 defense in forced TOs and the offense was dead last in scoring.

  30. Bucfan77. Says:

    Mumbles Says: 
    July 3rd, 2014 at 8:27 am
    December, 2013 Mike Glennon was ranked 21 out of 32 starting QB’s.
    ————————–
    An still there are some who can’t read or understand numbers. Don’t they know 21st is better than 24th? Or do they just want to be predgidist because of their burning hate for Schiano? I hope Joe will learn to love and appreciate our Quarterback of the future and the future is now!

  31. BoJim Says:

    owlykat Said:

    “Lovie would be foolish to start Glennon to see how he can do. After Glennon wilts under pressure, has a slow, inaccurate delivery, and blows first downs throwing short, and rarely gets 200 yards, no other team will ever want him. However if he starts Josh and he takes us to the playoffs this year, and another team loses their starting QB to injury, they will trade a good pick for Glennon thinking he can be a starter, then we take that pick to package with our first pick and we get Marriota. Josh and Tedford will mentor him into our next Franchise QB who will win our second SB and start a Buc’s Dynasty. Tedford will get a head coach gig elsewhere and Josh will be our new OC and even better than Tedford. L&L will stay together until they both retire and we will be able to get any HC we want then.”
    _______________________________________________________
    pffft.