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Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers face no looming deadline for a contract agreement.

That could help explain why negotiations seem to lack urgency.

The NFL's labor agreement prevents players from entering into football preparations with coaches until April 16. The quarterback market has shaken out elsewhere around the league. Neither side has better alternatives at present.

News that free-agent quarterback Josh Johnson might pay a free-agent visit to the 49ers looks like an attempt by the team to pressure Smith (separately, team CEO Jed York told reporters Tim Tebow was not an option).

Teams routinely show interest in one player to pressure another. Players routinely show interest in one team to pressure another.

Earlier Tuesday, the Detroit Lions put Seattle Seahawks linebacker David Hawthorne on a plane to visit their headquarters. Hawthorne was reportedly still in the air when linebacker Stephen Tulloch, perhaps sensing additional urgency with a free-agent prospect on the way, re-signed with Detroit.

Kurt Warner's experience with the Arizona Cardinals following the 2008 season resembles what is happening to Smith this offseason. Warner had led the Cardinals to a Super Bowl appearance. He had earned a new contract, but the Cardinals realized Warner had more value to them than he had to other teams. Warner was about to turn 38, was known to prefer staying in Arizona and appeared unlikely to start fresh elsewhere.

Smith is younger than Warner, but also less accomplished and less critical to his team's overall success. The 49ers know his value to them is greater than it would be to other teams. They could probably afford to reduce their offer without worrying about another team exceeding it. That wouldn't necessarily be the best tactic, of course, but neither is there any reason for San Francisco to bid against itself.

Would the 49ers sign Johnson to replace Smith on the roster?

Johnson, 25, has five touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 57.7 NFL passer rating in 26 appearances (five starts) over four NFL seasons. He played for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. There would be no assurances Johnson would fit well with the 49ers or even beat out 2011 second-round draft choice Colin Kaepernick for the starting job.

The biggest danger for Smith is waiting around long enough for the 49ers to shift their thinking toward the longer-term future. That happened to Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle last offseason. Coach Pete Carroll wanted to bring back Hasselbeck after the quarterback led a surprise playoff run, but Hasselbeck asked for more money than the Seahawks were comfortable offering. As the lockout dragged on, the organization decided to make a clean break.

The Seahawks were in rebuilding mode at the time. The situation in San Francisco is different. The 49ers have a stronger foundation to contend this season with Smith returning. Both sides have to realize a Smith re-signing stands as the best scenario.

With Peyton Manning coming and Tim Tebow going out, the Broncos still are not settled at the quarterback position.

Who is going to be Manning's backup?

Denver could always opt to keep Tebow, but ESPN has reported the team will try to trade him. They may even release him if they don’t find a trade partner.

The matter of Manning’s backup is significant. Manning passed the Broncos’ physical and he has been cleared to play in 2012 after missing all of last season with a neck injury. But there has to be a backup plan.

There aren’t too many great options out there. The top backup options are Byron Leftwich, Matt Leinart, Charlie Batch Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Billy Volek, Josh Johnson and Dennis Dixon. Of that group, I think Volek -- who was released by the Chargers last week -- could be the best option. He is a serviceable player in a pinch.

Denver could always draft a quarterback to groom behind Manning. Manning, who turns 36 Saturday, probably has at least three solid seasons remaining in him if his neck holds up.

It might be a little early to draft a quarterback in the early rounds and I think Denver is now out of the Brandon Weeden mix. Denver has closely scouted him, but he will be 29 during the season. There is little chance Denver will take a quarterback who may not be in the position to start until he is well in his 30s.

Check out this Insider post by Gary Horton, which explores how much the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved in the first week of free agency.

Horton goes as far to suggest the Bucs could be the “Cinderella team" of 2012. I think that’s at least possible. There’s no doubt the Bucs improved themselves with the signing of receiver Vincent Jackson, guard Carl Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright.

As we’ve discussed before, Jackson should help quarterback Josh Freeman and the rest of the receiving corps with his proven ability to stretch the field. Horton also suggests Jackson might be the best seam-route runner in the NFL.

Horton said Nicks is the most dominant inside player in the NFL and I agree with that. I think Nicks can be even more dominant in Tampa Bay than he was in New Orleans because he’ll get to do a lot more run blocking. That’s what Nicks really likes to do, although he’s just fine as a pass-blocker. With Nicks joining guard Davin Joseph and center Jeremy Zuttah, Horton suggests the Bucs could become the best interior line in the NFL. That’s entirely possible. Nicks is outstanding and Joseph is very good, but I think if the Bucs really are going to be dominant in the middle, they’ll need Zuttah to elevate his game. There are indications he can do that. He’s played mostly guard in the past, but has experience at center. He’s just entering his prime and he’ll be playing for his former college coach, Greg Schiano.

On Wright, Horton said he’s a cornerback who can play man or zone. That’s good because, with the new coaching staff, the Bucs may be playing more of a combination of defensive coverage schemes than they have in the past. I also like the signing of backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky. I’m not saying he’s anything special, but I think he’s the kind of traditional drop-back passer who could go in and give the Bucs a chance to win if he has to play in place of Freeman. Former backup Josh Johnson was a nice player to use in gimmicks, like the Wildcat formation, but he was not the kind of quarterback you wanted to see taking snaps under center for any extended period of time.

You could make a case that the Bucs’ moves have closed the gap between them and the rest of the NFC South. There’s no doubt they’ve improved their personnel, but there’s still more work to be done (mainly at running back and linebacker) in the later waves of free agency and the NFL draft.

This one isn’t quite as big as their recent signings, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued to make noise Thursday morning.

The team announced it has signed veteran quarterback Dan Orlovsky. That’s no surprise because it’s no secret the Bucs were looking for a veteran to serve as the top backup to Josh Freeman.

They inquired about David Carr, but he re-signed with the New York Giants. But the Bucs apparently viewed Orlovsky about the same as Carr and quickly worked to sign him to a two-year deal.

The new coaching staff appears ready to let former backup Josh Johnson walk into free agency. Johnson was sometimes used in Wildcat formations as a runner, but never showed much as a passer in the few times he’s had to play. Orlovsky isn’t a runner, but he at least fits the model of a traditional drop-back passer.

Orlovsky has been in the league since 2005, when he came to Detroit as a fifth-round pick and spent three seasons with the Lions before moving onto the Houston Texans. He was with Indianapolis last year and ended up starting five games as the Colts were without Peyton Manning.

Orlovsky has appeared in 21 career games with 12 starts. He’s completed 272-of-465 passes for 2,880 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Denver Broncos

Key free agents: K Matt Prater (franchised), DT Brodrick Bunkley, S Brian Dawkins, TE Daniel Fells, FB Spencer Larsen, WR Eddie Royal, QB Brady Quinn, DT Marcus Thomas, LB Wesley Woodyard, P Britton Colquitt (restricted).

Where they stand: The Broncos will have plenty of salary-cap room. For a team that went from 4-12 with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft to winning the AFC West and a playoff game in John Fox’s first season as coach, the Broncos are in position to improve through free agency. With Prater franchised, the team’s only priority unrestricted free agent is Bunkley.

What to expect: Don’t expect a huge spending spree. The Broncos are cash conscious and I think the franchise is still recovering from some undisciplined spending during the Mike Shanahan era that ended in 2008. We will see the Broncos try to add several pieces at lower prices. Denver could address needs at safety, running back, receiver, tight end, linebacker and quarterback. Keep an eye on players such as Washington safety LaRon Landry, Seattle tight end John Carlson, quarterbacks Chad Henne (Miami), Dennis Dixon (Pittsburgh) or Josh Johnson (Tampa), running backs Michael Bush (Oakland) and Mike Tolbert (San Diego), and defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene Cincinnati.

Kansas City Chiefs

Key free agents: WR Dwayne Bowe (franchised), CB Brandon Carr, QB Kyle Orton, RB Jackie Battle, LB Jovan Belcher, S Jon McGraw, C Casey Wiegmann, RB Thomas Jones, DE Wallace Gilberry, DT Kelly Gregg

Where they stand: The Chiefs are in great shape on cap space even after signing cornerback Stanford Routt and franchising Bowe. They have already done a nice job in free agency with these two moves and have a good, young roster. Kansas City can become a serious playoff contender with the right moves. It is likely Carr will leave in free agency, but the Chiefs should be able to re-sign most of their other free agents if they wish.

What to expect: I’m not sure we will see the Chiefs break the bank for any of the super-hot free agents, but I expect them to do some significant shopping. I think we could see Kansas City look for help at nose tackle, linebacker, safety, tackle, running back and quarterback. Of course, the intrigue could start if the team gets in on the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. But they could also look at several other quarterbacks, including Orton, Henne, Jason Campbell (Oakland) or even Quinn. They could also be in the mix for Miami nose tackle Paul Soliai, Saints guard Carl Nicks and running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis (New England), Bush and Tolbert.

Oakland Raiders

Key free agents: S Tyvon Branch (franchised), RB Michael Bush, QB Jason Campbell, LB Quentin Groves, C Samson Satele, WR Chaz Schilens, DE Trevor Scott, FB Marcel Reece (restricted).

Where they stand: The Raiders are one of the few teams that must get under the salary cap. Oakland coach Dennis Allen recently acknowledged the team has work to do. The Raiders have some contracts that can be easily restructured, but they also may have to cut some players, particularly on defense. Linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and defensive tackle John Henderson are among the top candidates.

What to expect: The Raiders likely face some limitations once they get under the cap, but they can add two or three starting-quality players under the right circumstances. Their primary needs are on defense, starting at cornerback and linebacker. The offensive line could be upgraded as well. I think they can be in on the second wave of cornerbacks. A player to watch is New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter, who previously played for Allen. There are some solid second-tier cornerbacks Oakland could be interested in other than Porter. There will be some good players available on both sides of the ball after the initial wave of free agency for short-term deals. Expect the Raiders to do some bargain picking during that time. I think Oakland will be interested in signing several of its free agents, but I expect Bush and Campbell will leave.

San Diego Chargers

Key free agents: WR Vincent Jackson, C Nick Hardwick, RB Tolbert, DT Antonio Garay, OT Jared Gaither, FB Jacob Hester.

Where they stand: The Chargers will be in decent shape and they are getting even better after cutting Luis Castillo, the retirement of guard Kris Dielman and the expected release of tackle Marcus McNeill. But San Diego still has a lot of work to do. They have the most priority free agents of any team in the division. Signing Jackson, Hardwick, Gaither, Tolbert and Garay will be a challenge.

What to expect: The Chargers will likely stick to their usual plan and concentrate first on their own free agents. But they also have other needs and they will likely spend more in free agency than they have done before under general manager A.J. Smith. I get the sense from some agents that the Chargers may spend wildy in an attempt to win back the fan base’s trust after the unpopular contract extensions for Smith and coach Norv Turner. The pair were brought back even after missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season. I also get the sense from inside the organization, however, that the Chargers will not act out of desperation. Look for the team to consider pass-rushers, nose tackles, safeties and offensive linemen if Hardwick and Gaither aren’t brought back. A receiver will also become a major need if Jackson goes. The Colts' Reggie Wayne could be an option in that case. A running back such as Cadillac Williams (St. Louis) reportedly will be in the mix if Tolbert walks. Soliai could interest the team as well. Chicago special teams ace Corey Graham may also be a target. If the Chargers want to make a huge splash, they could try to get in on Houston pass-rusher Mario Williams, who is widely considered the best player on the market.

Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton was on the field for a higher percentage of his team’s offensive plays than all but three NFL quarterbacks in the 2011 season.

Newton was on the field for 98.95 percent of Carolina’s 1,046 offensive snaps. He was out for only 11 plays. New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning led the league in this category, playing in all 1,075 of his team’s offensive plays.

New Orleans’ Drew Brees ranked No. 10 in the league, taking part in 96.35 percent of the Saints’ snaps. Brees was pulled from a few games when the Saints were blowing teams out, although his departure might have come a bit later than the Atlanta Falcons would have liked in the game where Brees broke Dan Marino’s record for passing yardage in a season.

Atlanta’s Matt Ryan participated in 94.23 percent of the Falcons’ 1,127 offensive plays. Ryan’s percentage was No. 12 in the league.

Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman was No. 14 at 92.26. Freeman was on the field for 942 of Tampa Bay’s 1,021 offensive plays. Freeman missed one game with an injury and also was yanked at times when the Bucs inserted Josh Johnson in their Wildcat package, which, hopefully is something new coach Greg Schiano does away with.

I’ve got playing time details for every player in the league in 2011. I’m breaking them down with Saint Leo University student Chris Walker, who is acting as the unofficial (and unpaid) NFC South Blog intern. Over the coming days, we’ll take individual looks at playing time for NFC South players at all the different position groups.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping starting quarterback Josh Freeman will be able to return to practice Wednesday and play against Jacksonville on Sunday.

That’s how coach Raheem Morris laid out the team’s expectations for Freeman as he met with the media on Monday.

Freeman missed Sunday’s loss to Carolina after suffering a shoulder injury the previous week. That was the first game Freeman has missed since taking over as the starter midway through his rookie year in 2009.

Backup Josh Johnson started against the Panthers.

Let’s start this out by qualifying that it came against a dismal Tampa Bay defense. But Carolina rookie Cam Newton was the NFC South’s best quarterback by at least one measure Sunday.

Newton’s Total QBR was 91.7. That was even higher than Drew Brees, who usually tops the division’s quarterbacks. Brees’ Total QBR was 84.7, good for fourth in the league. But Newton ranked third behind only Tom Brady (93.6) and Aaron Rodgers (92.4). The scores also included the Thursday night game.

So Newton’s in the same conversation as Brady, Rodgers and Brees now? Well, there still are likely to be some ups and downs in his maturation process. But Sunday showed Newton can play with the best of them at times. His three rushing touchdowns helped his score greatly, and the 91.7 Total QBR was the highest of Newton’s career.

Tampa Bay’s Josh Johnson, who made his first start since 2009, was No. 8 at 67.7. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan was No. 25 at 31.2.

On the season, Brees is No. 2 in average Total QBR at 79.5. Ryan is No. 8 at 63.1. Newton is No. 15 at 56.8. Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman, who sat out Sunday with a shoulder injury, is No. 22 at 47.0.

Thoughts on the Carolina Panthers 38-19 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

What it means: Both teams are 4-8, but that’s about the only thing the teams have in common these days. This was a big step for the Panthers. It marked the first time they’ve put together back-to-back wins since the arrival of coach Ron Rivera. The Panthers seem to be building some positive momentum that might carry over into next season. This was a low point for the Bucs as they lost their sixth straight game. The previous five came against good teams. The Panthers don’t quite fit that profile. But the Panthers clearly have moved ahead of the Bucs at the bottom of the NFC South.

What I liked: Carolina’s defense. This unit has been having major problems all season. But the Panthers stepped up and played perhaps their best defensive game of the season. The Bucs were forced to settle for four first-half field goals. Carolina’s run defense has struggled all season. But the Panthers did a very nice job keeping LeGarrette Blount under control.

What I didn’t like: Tampa Bay’s offense. Let’s not give all the credit to Carolina’s defense. Tampa Bay’s offense was playing without starting quarterback Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson started in his place. Blount is the kind of physical runner who has given the Panthers fits all season, but he never got on track and wasn’t much of a factor after the Panthers built a big lead.

What’s next: The Panthers host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. The Buccaneers travel to Jacksonville next Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman will not play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers due to a shoulder injury, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Josh Johnson will start in Freeman's place.

Coach Raheem Morris said this week that Freeman was hurt on a quarterback sneak that was stopped for no gain, sealing a 23-17 loss to the Titans last Sunday.

Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints’ 27-16 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

What it means: The Saints bounced back strongly from an embarrassing loss to St. Louis last week and also avenged an October loss to Tampa Bay. At 6-3, the Saints remain in sole possession of first place in the NFC South as they head into a big showdown with the Falcons next week. The Buccaneers continued their season-long struggle to be consistent. They never really got into an offensive rhythm, and a defense that played well in the previous meeting with the Saints was dominated. At 4-4, the Bucs have fallen into third place in the NFC South.

What I liked: I used to think it was simply a case of Drew Brees making everyone around him look better than they really are. But I’m now thinking that, as great as Brees is, he’s got a pretty amazing collection of talent at the skill positions around him. The Saints are loaded with running backs, tight ends and receivers, and they can hurt you in just about every way.

What I didn’t like: Tampa Bay inserting Josh Johnson to run a play out of the Wildcat formation on a third down near the end of the first half. It went nowhere and the Bucs had to settle for a field goal. Coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Greg Olson need to yank that play out of the playbook permanently. You don’t need gimmicks when you have a real quarterback. Although he’s been inconsistent this season, Josh Freeman can make a big play at any time, and he had the Bucs driving at the time they elected to run Johnson. Besides, the Saints were not at all surprised. The Bucs had put that play on film previously, and everyone in the building knew Johnson was going to run.

What else I didn’t like: Running back LeGarrette Blount continues to hold Tampa Bay back because the coaches don’t trust him in pass protection. Although Blount hinted he might be an every-down back this week, he wasn’t. Tampa Bay played Kregg Lumpkin, who is not going to scare any defense, in passing situations. Even when Blount was on the field, he hurt the Bucs. When the Bucs were driving in the third quarter, he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that forced the Bucs to settle for a field goal. Replays showed Blount was slapping at the facemask of New Orleans defensive end Will Smith. When you’ve got Blount’s history, you shouldn’t even think about slapping someone.

What’s next: The Saints travel to Atlanta next Sunday to play the Falcons. The Buccaneers are home against the Houston Texans next Sunday.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts just put out their final injury reports for Monday night’s game at Raymond James Stadium.

The Bucs don’t have anything all that significant. Linebacker Quincy Black (ankle) is listed as questionable, but participated fully in Saturday’s practice. Tight end Kellen Winslow (knee) is probable and participated on a limited basis in practice after sitting out Thursday and Friday. Backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who suddenly appeared on the injury report with an ankle issue this week, is listed as probable and practiced. The Bucs ruled out backup offensive lineman James Lee (ankle) and receiver Sammie Stroughter (foot).

The Colts have a pretty lengthy and significant injury list, starting with quarterback Peyton Manning, who hasn’t played this season because of a neck injury and won’t play against Tampa Bay. Quarterback Kerry Collins, who’s been starting in Manning’s place, is listed as questionable after suffering a concussion last week. Collins hasn’t practiced all week and the Colts have said they’re prepared to start Curtis Painter.

The Colts listed defensive end Dwight Freeney (ankle) as questionable, but he fully participated in practice Friday and Saturday.

Check here for a complete list of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' roster moves.

Surprise move: Perhaps the biggest surprise came Friday when the Buccaneers released middle linebacker Tyrone McKenzie. He came to training camp with an apparent shot to win the starting job after the Bucs let Barrett Ruud walk in free agency. McKenzie had helped organize players-only workouts during the lockout and ran the defense during that time.

But the fact the Bucs released him shows they’re more than content to go with rookie Mason Foster as their middle linebacker. He’ll start off as a two-down player, and outside linebacker Quincy Black, who will be an every-down player, will wear the radio helmet and call the defensive signals at least at the start of the season. But it looks like the Bucs have total confidence in Foster. Adam Hayward, who can play outside or inside and on special teams, probably will be Foster’s backup.

A few other pleasant surprises who made the roster were cornerback D.J. Johnson, defensive end George Johnson and safety Devin Holland.

No-brainers: Like a lot of other teams, the Bucs decided to go with just two quarterbacks, waiving Rudy Carpenter. They may try to bring Carpenter back to the practice squad. But the fact they’re willing to expose him to waivers tells you all you really need to know about how the Bucs view Carpenter. He’s a smart guy who knows the system, but he has no upside because he lacks arm strength. If the Bucs truly thought Carpenter could become a No. 2 quarterback, they would have kept him around because backup Josh Johnson can become a free agent next year. Johnson probably will move on because he knows there’s no chance of starting as long as Josh Freeman is around.

What's next: General manager Mark Dominik isn’t likely to be plucking the waiver wire as much as he did last season. But he’ll keep his eyes open, and you could see a move or two. Don’t be surprised if the Bucs bring in a running back, particularly one who fits the profile of a third-down back. Veteran Earnest Graham can fill that role, if needed, but the Bucs also like to use him at fullback.

The final preseason games for all NFC South teams are Thursday night.

Baltimore plays at Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. ET and Tampa Bay at Washington kicks off at the same time. Pittsburgh at Carolina and Tennessee at Houston start half an hour later. Since final preseason games generally don’t feature a lot of playing time for the starters, we’ll make our preview a little more comprehensive.

Instead of doing three things to watch on each team, we’ll do one.

Cam Newton’s last test. The Panthers appear to be set to go with the rookie quarterback as their starter for the regular season. He has not had a great preseason as a passer and probably won’t get a lot of playing time tonight. But it would be nice to see him complete a few passes against the Steelers. That would help his confidence and also bring some optimism to the fans.

Cameron Jordan’s role. The Saints pulled a surprise Tuesday when they cut starting defensive end Alex Brown. Conventional wisdom says that probably means they’re ready to use Jordan, a first-round draft pick, as a starter. Coach Sean Payton hasn’t committed that far and said the Saints will use a rotation at defensive end. But Jeff Charleston, Junior Galette and Turk McBride aren’t the kind of guys you expect to see in the starting lineup on a weekly basis.

Mike Johnson vs. Garrett Reynolds. This competition for Atlanta’s starting right guard job is coming down to the wire. Johnson missed some time early on with a concussion and that gave Reynolds the early edge. But coach Mike Smith has said Johnson still is a contender to start and a strong showing could be the deciding factor. No matter if it’s Johnson or Reynolds opening the regular season at Chicago on Sept. 11, the Falcons will have two new starters on the line that day. Center Todd McClure will miss the opener with a knee injury, and second-year pro Joe Hawley likely will get the start.

Rudy Carpenter in a starting role. He was Tampa Bay’s No. 3 quarterback last season. But Carpenter will get the start against the Redskins and there’s a lot riding on this one. Carpenter is in a competition with Jonathan Crompton for the No. 3 spot. But coach Raheem Morris admitted that it’s possible the Bucs may go into the regular season carrying only Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson on the active roster, which would free up a spot at another position. Carpenter needs a strong outing to prevent that from happening.

Much to the chagrin of many of their fans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made it very clear they have a plan that involves building through the draft and largely ignoring free agency.

Other components of that plan involved developing the players the Bucs draft and, then, at some point, making sure they keep the ones they want for the long term. Whenever people point to how much salary cap space the Bucs have (at the moment it’s $29.5 million because only the top 51 cap figures count in the preseason and the Bucs have about $14 million in cap room when you count all their contracts, which is how it works in the regular season), the team quietly reminds you that money will be spent.

The implication is that the Bucs are going to extend the contracts of some of their key young players to make sure they never get near free agency. We’ve talked several times about how quarterback Josh Freeman has to be at the very top of that list.

He’s under contract through 2013, but you could make the argument that Freeman already has outperformed his rookie deal. His average per year pay is $5.24 million. That may sound like a lot to you and me, but it terms of quarterbacks, it’s not great pay.

Freeman’s average per year ranks 24th in the league and he’s below guys like Kyle Orton and Charlie Whitehurst. If Freeman isn’t already a top-10 quarterback, he will be soon.

He’s also the franchise and you want to keep him happy. It’s pretty much a no-brainer that the Bucs should offer Freeman a pile of money and try to lock him up for the long term. But, after Freeman, who else should the Bucs target for extensions?

When I first thought about it, not a lot of names were coming to mind. That’s when I pulled out my list of the contract status for every player on the team and started really thinking about it. Once I did, I came up with a pretty lengthy list. I’ll give it to you in order of importance -- at least in my eyes.

Running back LeGarrette Blount. He’s under contract only through this season and could be an exclusive-rights or restricted free agent until he’s played four seasons. But the Bucs don’t need to play those games. If Blount picks up where he left off last season, the Bucs should lock him up. He’s not quite the franchise, like Freeman, but he’s a pretty important part of the franchise. He’s only making minimum ($450,000) this year and you want to keep key players happy.

Receiver Mike Williams. He’s under contract through 2013. But, like Freeman and Blount, he’s already outperformed his rookie contract as a fourth-round pick. If Williams didn’t have two more years on his contract, I’d rank him ahead of Blount. I think Williams has already shown that he’s going to be a very good player for a very long time.

Defensive tackle Roy Miller. He’s only under contract through 2012 and he’s quietly become a very solid player. We still don’t know if Gerald McCoy and Brian Price are going to be good and we’ve seen signs both might be injury prone. Miller doesn’t have the upside of McCoy and Price, but he’s the one sure thing the Bucs have at defensive tackle.

Cornerback Aqib Talib. Yeah, I said it. But humor me and listen to my logic on this one. I’m not saying the Bucs need to go out and give him an extension immediately. Talib’s under contract through 2012 and he’s got a trial scheduled for next March for his latest off-field incident. Let’s say Talib isn’t punished by the NFL and isn’t convicted by the legal system. And let’s say that he’s a model citizen from here on out. Then, it might make some sense to extend him. The kid is a heck of a talent and there are some important people in One Buccaneer Place who believe Talib isn’t a bad person, but has made some questionable decisions. They also know more about the off-field incidents than we do and they don’t think Talib was the instigator in any of them.

Linebacker Geno Hayes. He’s under contract only through this year. Hayes is a decent, but not great player. But the coaches like him and he’s viewed in much the same way as fellow linebacker Quincy Black. If the Bucs were willing to recently give Black a new contract, I think they’d do something similar for Hayes.

Cornerback E.J. Biggers. A lot will depend on how Talib’s situation plays out. Biggers is under contract through 2012. Ronde Barber's not going to play much longer. The Bucs could have one or two starting cornerback jobs open before long. Biggers has become a very good No. 3 cornerback and easily could transition into being a starter.

Safety Sean Jones. He’s 29 and only under contract through this season. He’s not young and he’s not a star. In fact, he's pretty ordinary. But the Bucs might want to extend him for a year or two. Jones brings stability to the safety spot and the Bucs don’t know if Tanard Jackson will be back after his one-year suspension.

Offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah. He’s only under contract through this season and he’s a nice backup at center and guard. Center Jeff Faine's probably not going to play a lot longer and Zuttah could be his eventual replacement.

Quarterback Josh Johnson. He’s in the final year of his contract. Although he rarely has played, the Bucs like him a lot. But, even if they approached Johnson about an extension, they might not have much luck. Johnson knows he’ll never start in Tampa Bay as long as Freeman is healthy. He’s got some talent and might want to go to a place where he at least has a shot at a starting job.

Safety Cody Grimm. He’s under contract through 2013, but he’s getting paid like the seventh-round choice he was last year. There’s no need to rush. But if Grimm, who is expected to start, plays well and Jackson’s not coming back, then it might be time to start thinking about extending him.

Receiver Sammie Stroughter. Like Grimm, there’s no rush on this one and the Bucs need to see more out of Stroughter, who is under contract through 2012. He looks like he could be a nice third receiver and return man. If he can provide some more evidence of that, he might be a candidate for an extension.