AJ McCarron

AJ McCarron

33-Year-Old QuarterbackQB
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2023 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for AJ McCarron in 2023. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Released by the Bengals in February of 2024.
Cut by Bengals
QBFree Agent
February 14, 2024
Cincinnati released McCarron on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
McCarron joined the Bengals back in November as a depth option, after the team lost starting quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) to a season-ending injury. The veteran appeared in two contest for the team in relief of fill-in starter Jake Browning, but now McCarron will have to search for a reserve gig elsewhere in free agency.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do AJ McCarron's 2023 advanced stats compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Bad Pass %
    The percentage of passes that were considered to be poorly thrown.
  • Avg Target Depth
    The average number of yards thrown per pass by the quarterback – including incomplete passes.
  • Sack Rate
    The percentage of dropbacks where the quartback was sacked. The longer the bar below, the more often they are sacked relative to other QBs.
  • Avg Receiver YAC
    The average number of yards after the catch that receivers gained on passes thrown by this quarterback.
  • Receiver Drop %
    The percentage of passes dropped by receivers on passes thrown by this quarterback. The longer the bar, the more sure-handed his receivers have been.
Bad Pass %
0.0%
 
Avg Target Depth
0.6 Yds
 
Sack Rate
16.7%
 
Avg Receiver YAC
4.8 Yds
 
Receiver Drop %
20.0%
 
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2023
2021
2020
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2016
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2021 NFL Game Log
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2020 NFL Game Log
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2023 AJ McCarron Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do AJ McCarron's measurables compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
220 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.94 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.34 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.18 sec
 
Vertical Jump
28.0 in
 
Broad Jump
99 in
 
Hand Length
10.00 in
 
Arm Length
31.50 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Heading into his eighth professional season, McCarron is now on his fifth team after inking a one-year deal with the Falcons in the spring. With only four career starts to his name and just one since 2015, McCarron strictly is viewed as a backup quarterback at this stage, and he won't push a healthy Matt Ryan for the No. 1 job. Though McCarron would inherit an offense teeming with pass-catching talent if Ryan succumbs to an injury, the longtime Falcons starter has been durable throughout his career, missing only three games in 13 years.
McCarron is on board for a second season in Houston after he signed a one-year, $4 million deal. He appeared in two games in 2019, including a meaningless final regular-season game. Second-string quarterback has been his role since breaking in with the Bengals in 2015, and so it will be in 2020. Starter Deshaun Watson has absorbed a lot of pounding the last two seasons (105 sacks), but he's been available for all 32 games, resting only for the 2019 finale before the playoffs.
The 27-year-old McCarron signed with the Texans during the offseason, his third employer in seven months after spending time with Buffalo and Oakland in 2018. He appeared in two games for the Raiders, throwing three passes, and enters the summer season as Houston's backup to starter Deshaun Watson. The Texans need Watson to remain healthy, obviously, for their postseason aspirations, but also because McCarron brings little experience. Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2014, the Alabama alum has appeared in 13 games and thrown 136 passes. Watson gutted through a chest injury and played all 16 games in 2018, but he took more hits than any other quarterback. If the offensive line doesn't protect better in 2019, McCarron could see his most action since 2015 when he played seven games for the Bengals. The Texans went hard after offensive linemen in the draft, so they do at least have a plan in place to keep Watson upright and McCarron off the field.
The Bills signed McCarron to a two-year deal in March, which tells you what the team thinks about his long-term prospects. He will start this year, though, unless first-round pick Josh Allen develops far quicker than expected. The backup in Cincinnati the last four years, McCarron doesn't have a strong arm, but he completed 64.7 percent of 133 attempts with the Bengals and threw only two interceptions. He's pretty much the opposite of Allen, who has a big arm but needs to develop his accuracy. Whoever wins the job - Nathan Peterman is also still around - will play behind an offensive line that lost three starters. And this is still a run-first offense powered by LeSean McCoy, which means the team probably won't throw too many more than the 476 passes it attempted last season. Only the Bears threw less (473). The Bills are also thin at receiver with Kelvin Benjamin, who underwent offseason knee surgery, the clear No. 1 option. Even if McCarron keeps the job, it will likely be more as a game manager.
After facing trade rumors in the offseason, McCarron will enter his fourth season with the Bengals since being drafted by the team in 2014. He didn't see any meaningful time as Andy Dalton's backup in 2016, but he showed the ability to step in when needed in 2015. If Andy Dalton is forced to miss time at any point in 2016 McCarron could quickly emerge as a fantasy option at the quarterback position.
After Andy Dalton suffered a fractured thumb in Week 14, McCarron was thrust into the starting position for the remainder of the season. In his last five games, including the wild-card loss to the Steelers, McCarron posted a 7:3 TD:INT ratio while throwing for over 1,000 yards. All reports say Dalton is completely cleared of his thumb injury and will be ready for the beginning of the season, meaning McCarron isn't likely to see much action barring any future injuries. The second-year man undeniably gained invaluable experience and likely gave the Bengals a considerable degree of confidence in the health of the backup quarterback position.
McCarron is expected to be Andy Dalton's backup in 2015. The 2014 fifth-round draft pick didn't take a snap in 2014 as he had a year to learn on the bench.
McCarron joins the Bengals after a hugely successful four-year college career at Alabama. With Andy Dalton undoubtedly Cincinnati's starting quarterback this season, McCarron will hope to learn from veteran second-stringer Jason Campbell as he transitions to the NFL.
More Fantasy News
Gets full-time promotion
QBCincinnati Bengals
December 4, 2023
The Bengals signed McCarron to their active roster Monday.
ANALYSIS
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Reverts to practice squad
QBFree Agent
November 27, 2023
McCarron reverted to the Bengals' practice squad Monday.
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Elevated to active roster
QBCincinnati Bengals
November 25, 2023
McCarron has been elevated to the Bengals' active roster ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Steelers.
ANALYSIS
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Joins Cincinnati's practice squad
QBFree Agent
September 23, 2023
The Bengals signed McCarron to their practice squad Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
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Tries out with Cleveland
QBFree Agent
July 21, 2022
The Browns worked out McCarron for a potential backup QB role Thursday, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
ANALYSIS
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