Gerald McCoy left his first free agent meeting without putting pen to paper. Despite the veteran defensive tackle continuing to take visits with competing teams, though, the Cleveland Browns remain excited about the prospect of signing him.
Almost a full week removed from McCoy's visit with Cleveland, rookie coach Freddie Kitchens made it clear the Browns still have interest in him.
Freddie says the door is still open with Browns / Gerald McCoy and says team is fine with McCoy taking other visits. “He knows the direction we are heading.”
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) May 30, 2019
McCoy met with team officials at Cleveland headquarters last Friday. He spent the majority of the day at the team's facilities before visiting the Baltimore Ravens earlier this week, also leaving Baltimore without a contract in place. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport then reported on Wednesday that McCoy will finish the week by visiting the Carolina Panthers.
After practice on Thursday, Kitchens told Browns.com that Cleveland will always consider adding good football players who fit the team's culture while describing his fondness for McCoy.
“I liked the kid,” he said of meeting with McCoy last week. “I like the person, of course I like the player, but more importantly just getting to know the kid. I really like him.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released the nine-year veteran on May 20th. McCoy's days with the team that drafted him all the way back in 2010 have appeared numbered since the beginning of the offseason, when it became clear the Buccaneers wanted to go in another direction at defensive tackle rather than pay him $13 million this season.
A three-time First Team All-Pro, McCoy had 28 tackles, six tackles for loss, six sacks, and 21 quarterback hits last season, failing to make the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2012.
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