About three months ago, a lot of people thought Josh McCown was the Jets’ clear path to the top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Now, they’re 4-5 and far from the bottom, and one former Jets quarterback wants to see McCown hang around.
Former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington told Brian Costello of the New York Post that he’s been so impressed with the work McCown has done this season that he wants him to stay beyond his current one-year contract.
“I would love to see Josh be part of the equation for about three more years,” Pennington said. “I don’t know how long he wants to play. I could certainly see him continue to be able to stabilize the position and also be professional enough to understand when it is time to hand over the reins. He would be such a great asset in the room. I think that’s something that would benefit the Jets, to have his presence there.
“I would love to see him do that.”
The 38-year-old McCown may not go to the Pro Bowl, but he’s playing some extremely competent quarterback, without the benefit of an all-star cast around him. He’s completing 70.4 percent of his passes, trailing only Drew Brees among regular quarterbacks. He has a 96.1 passer rating. That’s 10th in the league among qualifying passers, right between Jared Goff and Russell Wilson, two quarterbacks you wouldn’t have put in his neighborhood at the beginning of the season. He’s thrown almost twice as many touchdowns (13) as interceptions (seven).
Pennington has background with McCown, going back to their days together in Miami, so there’s some personal feeling at play. And the Ryan Fitzpatrick experience will certainly draw some comparisons and make people wary.
But it can’t be argued that McCown hasn’t exceeded expectations, and has lent an air of professionalism to a team that needs it.