Giants Player Profile | Colt McCoy, QB
2019 Season Rewind
Colt McCoy signed a one-year contract with the Giants in March after spending the last six seasons with Washington. The 33-year old Texas product brings with him experience in facing the NFC East and who will compete with Alex Tanney and Cooper Rush for the Giants’ backup quarterback job.
Washington did not exactly have what you would call a stable situation at quarterback last season. Case Keenum was the starter for their first four games of the year but was benched during the first half of their Week 4 game against the Giants in favor of rookie Dwayne Haskins. Instead of sticking with Haskins the following week, however, head coach Jay Gruden decided to turn to McCoy.
McCoy’s Week 5 start against the Patriots ended up being his only one during the 2019 season. He threw for just 122 yards and an interception. Washington then went back to Keenum in their next game, before eventually turning back to Haskins in Week 9.
In 2018, McCoy took over at quarterback in Week 11 after Alex Smith suffered a gruesome, season-ending leg injury. The next game, he threw for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions during a 31-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Unfortunately, his stint as Washington’s starting quarterback would not last very long. After getting sacked by Malcolm Jenkins during a Week 13 matchup against the Eagles, McCoy suffered a broken leg.
Throughout his career, McCoy has mainly been utilized as a backup. He was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns after posting some impressive numbers at Texas.
He threw for over 3,000 yards in three of his four seasons. McCoy was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 after he threw for 3,521 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2008 and 2009.
One reason why McCoy was a successful college quarterback is that he was a dual-threat. In 53 career games at Texas, he had 1,571 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. During the season that he was the runner-up for the Heisman trophy in 2008, McCoy rushed for 561 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Unfortunately, he was unable to turn his success at Texas into a stable career as an NFL starter. McCoy had a decent season for the Browns under head coach Pat Shurmur in 2011, throwing for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games.
However, he lost his starting job the next season after the Browns used a first-round pick to draft Brandon Weeden.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman knew that with Eli Manning retiring after last season, he needed to go out and get another veteran quarterback with starting experience.
While McCoy has never been a consistent starter in the NFL, he has usually played well when asked to step in. Head coach Joe Judge recognizes the importance of having depth at every position, so if Daniel Jones gets injured at any point this season, McCoy is currently the only quarterback on the Giants roster (besides Jones) who has substantial starting experience in the NFL.
Looking Ahead
McCoy is not necessarily guaranteed the Giants’ backup quarterback job this season, despite having over $1 million in guaranteed money.
Journeyman backup Alex Tanney is still on the roster, and the Giants also signed former Cowboys backup Cooper Rush this offseason. Rush has familiarity with new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's system, which could help his chances to win the backup job.
Gettleman also added undrafted free-agent quarterback Case Cookus to the mix. However, Cookus is likely more of a developmental project than a strong candidate to win the No. 2 as of this juncture.
McCoy does offer the most experience as a starter and has the strongest resume among the choices. Although Tanney has been on the Giants for a couple of years now, he is a holdover from the Shurmur regime, and it would be surprising if he sticks another year considering it appears his main competition now is believed to be Rush.
Even if McCoy does win the backup job in training camp, he most likely will not get much playing time in 2020. Unless Jones suffers an injury and is forced to miss time like he did last year, you can expect him to start all 16 games for the Giants.
If he wins the backup job, McCoy could get a few opportunities to come in during garbage time, but in signing with the Giants, he's on board with the role.
Off the field, McCoy can play an essential role for the Giants in 2020, even if he barely sees the field. He can be a mentor to Jones and teach him what he’s learned throughout his 10-year NFL career.
Although he didn't fulfill the expectations some had for him when he came out of college, McCoy is a respectable option at backup with whom a team can win. He might not have Manning's pedigree or longevity, but McCoy's experience could be of significant value to Jones as he enters Year 2.
Every team in the NFC East added to their depth at quarterback this offseason. In McCoy, the Giants are getting someone who has a decent arm, can move around in the pocket, and who has been in the NFL for a decade. He should be a reliable backup to Jones this season.
