Top 5 reasons Jets should bring back Josh McCown in 2018

The New York Jets seemingly found a gem in quarterback Josh McCown in the 2017 offseason. Here are five reasons why they should bring him back in 2018.

Fans were upset when the New York Jets made the decision to sign veteran quarterback Josh McCown in the 2017 offseason. Seeing as the team had released most of their veterans, it seemed pretty obvious that they were looking to build purely with young talent. Fans were hoping to see what the future held for their young quarterbacks. When this move happened, it became pretty clear that the fans’ wishes were not in the team’s plan.

While the fans may have been upset at first, those feelings quickly changed starting in Week 2. McCown threw 166 yards and two touchdowns, and even though the Jets didn’t end up winning the game, fans were impressed by the talent and leadership they were getting. This was a guy who could efficiently run this offense, and even though the team was 0-2, fans felt like McCown could at least lead these young players during their development season.

As the season went on, the fans and the team started to love McCown even more. He was putting up franchise quarterback stats, and he was keeping a projected 0-16 team in playoff contention. Not only was he earning respect with his hard work on the field, but with his attitude off the field as well.

In all of his interviews, he always praised this team. He made it clear to everybody that he was going to do everything he could to help this team win a championship. Unfortunately, his season came to an end in Denver. He was getting hit the whole game, and that eventually led to a season-ending hand injury.

Even though he couldn’t finish, he still deserves to come back next season. It’s true that he’s getting up there in age, and he’s never been a franchise quarterback, but he still deserves another year. Here are the top five reasons why.

Next: 5. A true leader

5. A true leader

Throughout the season, McCown has shown the ability to lead. He’s effectively run the team’s offensive scheme, he’s motivated the young guys to play hard week in and week out and he’s played harder than any quarterback the Jets have had in a while. It’s pretty clear that he holds this team together.

With an offense filled with young position players, a veteran quarterback is just what they need. They need someone who has seen almost everything the NFL has to offer and knows how to prepare for it. With all of this, the young guys will be able to develop quicker.

Not only does he lead with experience, he also leads with motivation. Every game, you see him pumping players up, communicating with them well and picking them back up when they make mistakes. This should be something every team looks at when evaluating quarterbacks.

Next: 4. Confidence

4. Confidence

Let’s face it. McCown is not a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He’s made a lot of mistakes, and he’s never had the same type of talent as players like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers. However, it never seems like anyone’s told him that.

Every game, he looks calm and ready to play. He doesn’t shy away from a big moment. When he sees a receiver down-field, even if that receiver is going up against one of the best cornerbacks in the game, he will try and make the throw.

He doesn’t try to do too much, he just throws the ball where he knows the receiver is going to be. This confidence can sometimes cause problems like turnovers, but it’s also important because if he is well prepared, that confidence will result in a lot of scoring drives.

Next: 3. Corrects his mistakes

3. Corrects his mistakes

During this season, McCown has shown that he can make up for his mistakes. For example, think back to the Jets vs. Jacksonville Jaguars game. He didn’t play very well at the beginning of overtime, and it seemed like it was going to cost them the game. However, when it came down to the final drive, he changed faster than a New York minute.

McCown was able to drive the ball down to field goal range, and Chandler Catanzaro kicked the game-winning field goal. That’s what McCown has done all season.

He learns from his mistakes, forgets about them, and moves on to the next play. This is a very hard trait to overlook since it’s what turns teams into winners if everyone can follow suit.

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This team needs that kind of player at quarterback because there’s going to be a lot of mistakes in the coming years. It’s a young team, so these guys don’t have a lot of experience at the professional level. They need someone to coach on the field.

Next: 2. Toughness

2. Toughness

Okay, he got injured, but it is the Jets. With that intense playbook and the horrid offensive line, a quarterback is going to often get slaughtered. However, the pressure didn’t seem to get to McCown. All throughout this rough season, McCown took a lot of hits and well, continued with the task at hand.

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Throughout the year, he did a great job of staying in the pocket, making tough throws, getting smacked down by a linebacker and most importantly, getting back up. That’s the kind of thing franchise quarterbacks do.

They keep fighting even when it hurts, no matter what not only for their fans but for their teammates around them. It’s true that he probably can’t stand these types of hits much longer, but he can probably do it for at least one more year.

Even if he’s a backup for the Jets, it’s always good to have a quarterback that can step in and run the offense due to their familiarity with it. The NFL is unpredictable and no matter who is under center next year for the Jets, it’s always good to have someone like McCown that’s tough enough to continue playing well if his number is ever called.

Next: 1. The ultimate mentor

1. The ultimate mentor

Let’s be honest. Bryce Petty is not the team’s future at quarterback. In the span of a year, he hasn’t shown much improvement. This team will need someone who improves greatly from year to year.

No one has seen much of Christian Hackenberg, which isn’t a good sign. If he’s still not getting on the field in his second year, it’s pretty obvious that he won’t be the team’s future. This team has to draft a quarterback in the first round this year.

Seeing as that rookie will need a mentor, and McCown has seen all there is to see in this league, there’s no question that he would be a great coach for the young guy. McCown can still start and be a coach too. This would allow the rookie to watch McCown, and learn the do’s and don’ts of being a pro quarterback the easy way.

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Overall, keeping McCown makes sense because he’s a leader. He can help this young team greatly improve, he can motivate them when times get tough, and he will work hard to ensure this team is successful. Keeping McCown would probably help this team make the playoffs sooner rather than later.