It was easy to surmise that Colt McCoy wasn't long for the San Francisco 49ers' roster once the team signed veteran quarterback Seneca Wallace.
Three days later, McCoy has hit the trade market. The 49ers have have engaged in trade talks regarding their backup quarterback, people informed of the talks told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport on Sunday. McCoy restructured his contract to a lower base salary Saturday, making it more likely that he will not be released.
Going into Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, McCoy was just 6-of-13 passing for 76 yards (5.9 per attempt) with two interceptions and a passer rating south of 30.0 this preseason.Â
One advantage for general manager Trent Baalke is the vacancies created by injuries to the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, among other teams. Per Rapoport, the 49ersalready have received calls on McCoy.
Although McCoy has a connection with current Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur from their time together with the Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia already is fully stocked at the position. The general manager who drafted McCoy, Tom Heckert, now is an executive with the Denver Broncos.
Brian Daboll, the Browns' offensive coordinator during McCoy's rookie season, currently is a New England Patriots assistant.
McCoy's skill set always has been best suited to a West Coast offense, in which case the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers might take a closer look.
On the other hand, it wouldn't come as a shock if McCoy stirs up little genuine trade interest around the league. He's fallen far since his semi-promising rookie season. The 49ers can't expect more than a late-round draft pick in return.
UPDATE: Harbaugh said after Sunday's 34-14 preseason victory that he feels "real good right now" with McCoy as his No. 2 quarterback. It's the exact posture a head coach can be expected to take if he's trying to build value in trade talks. Of course, the team did accomplish its mission in convincing McCoy to accept a pay cut. As usual, the 49ers are one step ahead of the game.
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