Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
We all pretty much knew this was coming. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris said that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will start the Nov. 8 game against Green Bay.
That’s the only move that really makes sense at this point. Give Freeman the bye week to get some first-team reps and throw him on the field. The Bucs are in a bad spot. Byron Leftwich didn’t work out, Josh Johnson showed some promise but couldn’t do much with a bad team around him.
I’m not sure Freeman is the answer, either. But he’s the most talented of the bunch and he’s also the guy Morris and general manager Mark Dominik used their very first draft pick on. They wanted to bring him along slowly and they have for almost half a season.
Now, it’s time to play him because the Bucs have to find out what they’ve got in Freeman. It’s also time to play him because Morris’ job security is going to depend largely on Freeman. If the quarterback progresses over the final nine games and the Bucs win a few, Morris will be safe.
If Tampa Bay goes 0-16 or 1-15 and Freeman doesn’t provide any hope for the future, Morris might not have a future in Tampa.
We all pretty much knew this was coming. Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris said that rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will start the Nov. 8 game against Green Bay.
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I’m not sure Freeman is the answer, either. But he’s the most talented of the bunch and he’s also the guy Morris and general manager Mark Dominik used their very first draft pick on. They wanted to bring him along slowly and they have for almost half a season.
Now, it’s time to play him because the Bucs have to find out what they’ve got in Freeman. It’s also time to play him because Morris’ job security is going to depend largely on Freeman. If the quarterback progresses over the final nine games and the Bucs win a few, Morris will be safe.
If Tampa Bay goes 0-16 or 1-15 and Freeman doesn’t provide any hope for the future, Morris might not have a future in Tampa.
Pat Yasinskas | email
NFL- ESPN NFC South Blogger
- Joined ESPN in 2008
- Began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990
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Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
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