Reports are he plans to hold out for a new contract:
McCoy reportedly isn’t happy about being traded to Buffalo
Posted by Mike Florio on March 4, 2015, 9:49 AM EST
McCoy
Getty Images
In our first of umpteen-and-counting items about the Shady-for-Kiko trade, it was noted that it’s unclear whether running back LeSean McCoy will welcome a trade from Philadelphia to Buffalo.
He possibly won’t.
Josina Anderson of ESPN, citing an unnamed source close to LeSean McCoy, reports that McCoy is “frustrated” by the news that he’ll be sent to the Bills.
“He’s a Pennsylvania kid,” the source told Anderson. “He’s never played football outside of Pennsylvania — high school, college, pro. So of course he’s not happy. Sounds like it’s pretty final to me unless LeSean is refusing to go to Buffalo.”
Of course, refusing to go to Buffalo would mean not earning $10.25 million in 2015, ultimately being cut by the Eagles, and then being forced to find $10.25 million on the open market.
“It’ll be interesting to see how this process plays itself out because he’s an interesting individual,” the source said. “In your mind, when you think of Buffalo you think of cold and losing games. It’s not like it’s the Philadelphia market where you’re always on [TV] and you’re playing for like the division title or that type of thing.”
Bills coach Rex Ryan likely believes that he’ll be able to persuade McCoy to give it a try, and Rex definitely has the ability to do that. But McCoy may still balk, which means that the Bills then will have to decide whether to go through with the deal.
The deal can’t be finalized until 4:00 p.m. ET on March 10. Before then, either side can decline to proceed. And if McCoy makes it clear that he has no desire to play in Buffalo, that could be enough for the Bills to walk away, minimizing any style points they’d lose by reneging on the tentative swap.
