Quarterbacks McCoy, Flynn traded
CLEVELAND – Colt McCoy’s days with the Browns indeed were numbered.
McCoy, who became expendable when Cleveland signed veteran free agent Jason Campbell last week, was traded Monday to the San Francisco 49ers, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press. The Browns will get a late-round draft pick.
McCoy started 21 games in three seasons for the Browns, who selected the former Texas star in the third round of the 2010 draft. However, McCoy lost his job last season when the Browns took Brandon Weeden in the first round, and McCoy was knocked farther down the depth chart once Campbell was signed to a two-year deal. Campbell is expected to play behind Weeden next season, but could challenge him for the starting job.
Last week, Browns CEO Joe Banner said the Browns would not release McCoy and would look for a trade partner. In San Francisco, the 26-year-old will compete with Scott Tolzien to back up Colin Kaepernick.
Because of injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, McCoy was forced into the starting lineup as a rookie and made eight starts. Though not blessed with a strong arm, McCoy made enough plays that the Browns kept him as their No. 1 QB in 2011. He started 13 games, but his season was essentially ended when he took a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.
The Browns allowed McCoy to return to the game despite having a concussion, and the team’s mishandling of the situation led to the NFL making some changes to its policy on head injuries.
McCoy, 6-15 as a starter, appeared in three games last season as Weeden’s backup.
Raiders acquire Flynn: The Oakland Raiders are changing directions at quarterback again.
The Raiders acquired Seattle backup Matt Flynn for draft picks, signaling an end to Carson Palmer’s brief tenure as starter in Oakland.
Fox Sports reported Palmer was expected to be dealt to Arizona. The Raiders paid a hefty price when they acquired Palmer from Cincinnati midway through the 2011 season, trading a 2012 first-round draft pick and 2013 second-rounder for the former Pro Bowler. They now will move on from Palmer before they have even finished paying up on the trade.
Oakland will send a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015 to Seattle for Flynn. The Raiders also will receive a late-round pick from Arizona if the deal for Palmer is completed.
Palmer failed to get Oakland to the playoffs in 2011, falling one game short, then the Raiders regressed and went 4-12 last year. With Palmer owed $13 million for this season and the Raiders in rebuilding mode, general manager Reggie McKenzie decided to get a quarterback he was familiar with from his time in Green Bay.
After showing promise as a backup with the Packers, Flynn signed a three-year, $26 million deal with the Seahawks, but failed to beat out rookie Russell Wilson for the starting job and quickly became expendable.
Ravens’ Thompson suspended: Baltimore Ravens special teams player Christian Thompson has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Thompson played in seven games as a rookie last season before being placed on injured reserve with a knee problem.
Titans sign Walter, Spencer: The Tennessee Titans have agreed to one-year contracts with receiver Kevin Walter and offensive lineman Chris Spencer.
Walter started 93 of his 152 NFL games in his 10 seasons, and he spent the past seven years with the Houston Texans.
He had 41 catches for 518 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Spencer is an eight-year veteran, spending the past two seasons with the Chicago Bears.
Pardee dies at 76: Jack Pardee, one of Bear Bryant’s “Junction Boys” at Texas A&M who went on to become an All-Pro linebacker and an NFL coach, has died, University of Houston spokesman David Bassity says.
Pardee was 76.
Pardee’s family announced that he had gall bladder cancer that had spread to other organs and that he had six to nine months to live in November.
Pardee was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986. He is the only person to be a head coach in college, the NFL, United States Football League, World Football League and Candian Football League.