The Cleveland Browns have released quarterback Josh McCown and cornerback Tramon Williams. McCown, 37, intends to continue his playing career as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported.
McCown, before signing with the Browns, was one of the more coveted veteran quarterbacks on the market, although mostly viewed as a valuable backup. The Browns envisioned him as a stopgap quarterback who could bridge to a young quarterback down the road.
Unfortunately injuries and a handful of poor performances derailed the Browns’ plans. While McCown wasn’t necessarily a “disaster” his tenure in Cleveland was forgettable and it may prohibit him from being a full-time starter in the future.
Williams, 33, came over from the Green Bay Packers in the same free agency class as McCown, but despite his decent season in 2015, he proved to be another one of former General Manager Ray Farmer’s failures.
Browns coach Hugh Jackson noticed a drop off in Williams’ abilities and cut his playing time and starts down this past season.
The moves allowed Cleveland to avoid paying a $750,000 roster bonus to McCown and $1 million to Williams, and incurred just over $1.1 million in dead cap, according to Spotrac