Eagles sign Josh McCown out of retirement to help dire QB depth situation

It's a situation that works for both the Eagles and the veteran QB, as he puts his retirement on hold for Philadelphia

Help is on the way for the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The 2019 calendar year hasn't been kind to the team's quarterback position, headlined by losing Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. With the preseason now underway, they've lost fourth-year backup Nate Sudfeld to a fractured wrist and Cody Kessler to a concussion, which left the team exceedingly thin at the position. The sole survivor was rookie fifth-round pick Clayton Thorson, and no other healthy QB remained on the depth chart outside of Carson Wentz.

That changed on Saturday, as the Eagles signed veteran Josh McCown to a one-year deal, the team announced. The contract reportedly carries a base salary of $2 million, but contains incentives that could push the total payout to $5.4 million, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. 

McCown had initially opted to retire recently and take his talents to ESPN, but also contended at the time he'd return if the situation was attractive to him. With the Eagles, the 40-year-old will be looked upon as QB2 behind Wentz, the franchise QB having durability issues of his own. He expects to return to his ESPN career following the 2019 season, but he'll gladly put a pin in those plans, if necessary at that time as well.

As experienced a quarterback as you'll find, McCown is entering his 17th year in the NFL, having already played for 10 teams over that near two-decade long stretch. His career stat line won't impress, though, having a win-loss record of 23-53 with 82 interceptions to his 98 touchdowns. McCown has shown an ability to step in for a short stretch or two and give his respective team a chance to win, and his biggest struggles have come when tasked with playing for extended stretches of a season. He nearly hit the .500 marker in 2017 with a 5-8 record as a member of the New York Jets, but went 0-3 with them the following year -- before deciding to hang up his cleats.

With the Eagles in dire straits at the position and competitive fire still burning within McCown, it's the attractive situation he was waiting on.