The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... McCown made eight appearances and five starts for the Bears in 2013, finishing with 13 touchdowns, only one interception and a passer rating of 109.0. Now McCown, 34, must decide where this unexpected success takes him next. "It's hard to want to be anywhere else," he said of the Bears. "But the balance of that, too, is our reality. This is probably going to be the last time I stand in free agency with this kind of leverage. ... I have to be willing to go somewhere else, if that's how it breaks."

Diehards Line:McCown might prefer to remain in a comfortable situation with the Bears, as NFL.com's Dan Hanzus suggests, it's hard to imagine Chicago investing big money in a backup quarterback two months after starter Jay Cutler signed a multi-year contract that includes $54 million in guaranteed money. The more likely scenario has McCown signing a one- or two-year deal elsewhere and getting the opportunity to be a starter.