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First Posted: 4/1/2013

(AP) The Browns have discarded another quarterback. Colt McCoy will start over as a backup in San Francisco.


McCoy, who became expendable when Cleveland signed veteran free agent quarterback Jason Campbell last week, was traded Monday to the San Francisco 49ers. The Browns confirmed the deal on the same day new coach Rob Chudzinski welcomed more than 60 players for the start of the Browns’ offseason conditioning program.


The team only said the Browns received two “undisclosed” draft choices, but a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press the Browns got a fifth- and seventh-round pick in this month’s NFL draft in exchange for McCoy and Cleveland’s sixth-round pick. The person provided details of the trade on condition of anonymity.


McCoy started 21 games in three seasons for the Browns, who selected the former Texas star in the third round of the 2010 draft. However, McCoy lost his job last season when the Browns took Brandon Weeden in the first round, and McCoy was knocked farther down the depth chart once Campbell was signed to a two-year deal. Campbell is expected to play behind Weeden next season, but could challenge him for the starting job.


CBSSports.com was first to report McCoy’s trade.


Last week, Browns CEO Joe Banner said the Browns would not release McCoy and would look for a trade partner. In San Francisco, the 26-year-old McCoy will compete with Scott Tolzien to back up Colin Kaepernick. The Niners have been looking for a reliable backup since trading Alex Smith to Kansas City at the start of free agency.


A popular player in Cleveland, McCoy will also be reunited in San Francisco with former Browns kicker Phil Dawson, who recently signed a one-year free agent deal with the Niners.


Because of injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace, McCoy was forced into the starting lineup as a rookie and made eight starts. Though not blessed with a strong arm, McCoy made enough plays that the Browns kept him as their No. 1 QB in 2011. He started 13 games, but his season was essentially ended when he took a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.


The Browns allowed McCoy to return to the game despite having a concussion, and the team’s mishandling of the situation led to the NFL making some changes to its policy on head injuries.


McCoy, 6-15 as a starter, appeared in three games last season as Weeden’s backup. He came in after Weeden hurt his shoulder against Denver on Dec. 23, but sustained a right shoulder injury on one of the four sacks recorded against him by the Broncos. McCoy was inactive for Cleveland’s season finale.


McCoy passed for 4,388 yards and 21 touchdowns with the Browns.


Associated Press