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TAMPA, Fla. -- Greg Schiano isn’t a good dancer, so someone please stop the music.

The coach of the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent a good chunk of his Monday doing his best not to directly answer questions about the status of former starting quarterback Josh Freeman.

"I’m not going to be naïve," Schiano said. "There are a lot of factors involved. This is not high school football. It’s professional football. There are salaries and there are contracts and there are those things involved. What I do is I focus on the things that are going to help us win games."

What’s going on around One Buccaneer Place is a soap opera, and it has more of a high school than professional feel. Schiano and Freeman are involved in a standoff that needs to end now because it’s not doing the rest of the team any good.

The Bucs have plenty of other problems to work on as they go through a bye week. They need the couple that already has divorced internally to go ahead and officially separate.

No matter which side you came down on in the original benching of Freeman, it’s pretty clear he can’t be around this team anymore. Intentionally or not, he has become a distraction and the situation has become a circus.

The latest example came Monday afternoon when the locker room was open to the media. Mike Glennon and Dan Orlovsky, the team’s other two quarterbacks, appeared to come out of a meeting. Each of them went to their locker, grabbed some things and left.

A few minutes later, a team employee was seen gathering up a few items at Freeman’s locker. The employee walked into a hallway by the equipment room and handed the stuff to Freeman, who never entered the locker room.

If there’s any logic in the building, Freeman should never enter the locker room again. In an exclusive interview with ESPN last week, Freeman said he would like to be traded.

So trade the guy -- if you can. Minnesota and Tennessee look desperate for quarterback help, but are they desperate enough to take a shot on Freeman after watching what has happened the past few weeks? Is anybody going to get more desperate in the days before the Oct. 29 trade deadline?

Maybe and maybe not. If the Bucs want to wait to see if someone pushes the panic button and gives them a draft pick for Freeman, they should do what former coach Jon Gruden did to former receiver Keyshawn Johnson back in the day. They should send Freeman home, pay him to stay away and keep his rights.

Or there’s another option. The Bucs could go ahead and just release Freeman now. It would mean giving up on a former first-round draft pick and that never looks good.

But the Bucs already have given up on Freeman and the whole thing has been ugly. There’s no sense dragging this out any longer.

The Bucs need to stop the music.

TAMPA, Fla. -- An examination of four hot issues from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 13-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

There are no quick fixes. Rookie Mike Glennon was thrust into the starting quarterback job after the Bucs benched Josh Freeman. He played reasonably well for the first 56 minutes, but he threw two late interceptions that in part cost the Bucs the game. Glennon is going to be the quarterback the rest of the season, so get ready for some growing pains.

The defense is better than the offense. Tampa Bay’s defense played a very solid game, and the Bucs would have won if they had gotten just a bit more out of their offense. The offense has been a problem all season. You have to wonder at what point the defense is going to start pointing fingers at the offense.

Trade him from your fantasy team. If you have Doug Martin, unload him now. Martin carried 27 times for 45 yards (that’s 1.7 yards per carry) against the Cardinals. Martin is a talent and the Bucs have a good offensive line, but this is likely a sign of things to come. With a rookie quarterback, every defense is going to devote most of its attention to stopping Martin, so there won’t be much room to run.

The Schiano Watch. Coach Greg Schiano has lost nine out of 10 games dating back to last season. Ownership, which fired Raheem Morris for losing 10 straight, backed Schiano after he benched Freeman, and the coach has three years remaining on his contract. But now that he has “his guy’’ at quarterback, it’s time to see some improvement. If it doesn’t come soon, Schiano could be on the hot seat.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Observed in the locker room after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 13-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

• 

  McCoy
  Coach Greg Schiano defended the two play calls on which rookie quarterback Mike Glennon threw fourth-quarter interceptions by saying the Bucs had to throw the ball because the running game wasn’t working. It’s true that Doug Martin was bottled up almost all day. But putting the ball into the hands of a guy making his first start with the game on the line isn’t a great idea.
• Schiano said it was a “mutual decision” to have former starting quarterback Josh Freeman sit in a suite instead of being on the sideline. I think the translation there is the Bucs didn’t want to have Freeman as a possible distraction. With the bye week coming up, I think Freeman will be traded or released before the Bucs play another game.
• Schiano gave his usual spiel about the team sticking together through tough times. But we might have seen the first crack. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who had an outstanding day, said he didn’t want to talk about the offense. I'm not saying the defense is pointing fingers at the offense, but that would be justified.

A few thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 13-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

What it means: You can change quarterbacks, but not results. Rookie Mike Glennon started in place of Josh Freeman and looked adequate for most of the game. But Glennon was intercepted with 3:12 remaining to set up Arizona’s tying touchdown. The Bucs, who controlled the game most of the way before squandering a 10-0 lead, are 0-4, and it’s pretty clear their problems go well beyond the quarterback. Coach Greg Schiano is officially on the hot seat.

So much for the defense: The Tampa Bay defense was outstanding much of the day. But two fourth-quarter turnovers gave the Cardinals prime field position, and the defense couldn’t hold up.

Suspension time? Safety Dashon Goldson appealed a previous one-game suspension and won. But he probably won’t be as lucky this time around. Goldson was called for a personal foul that set up the winning field goal. He probably will get a suspension, because he is very much on the NFL’s radar.

Stock watch: Rising -- Kicker Rian Lindell entered the game on the hot seat after missing a field goal attempt in each of the previous two games. He put himself back on good footing with a 50-yard field goal.

Stock watch: Falling -- The one thing the Cardinals did well was bottle up Doug Martin. They put a lot of defensive focus on Martin, and he wasn’t able to do much. Martin also lost a fourth-quarter fumble that led to an Arizona field goal.

Demps’ debut: Recently signed running back Jeff Demps got his first playing time of the season. Demps had a 14-yard run in the first quarter, three kickoff returns and a catch out of the backfield for 8 yards.

What’s next: The Buccaneers have a bye week. They’ll return to action Oct. 13 at home against Philadelphia.

Three things to watch for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Mike Glennon. The rookie quarterback will be making his first start after the Bucs benched Josh Freeman. Glennon didn’t exactly light it up in the preseason and the coaching staff is taking a leap of faith that he’s ready to play in the NFL. Glennon’s strength is that he has a big arm, so look for the Bucs to try to take some deep shots.

Doug Martin. The Bucs already are a run-first team, but they’re likely to move even more in that direction in Glennon’s first start. Look for Martin to get a bunch of carries as the Bucs try to keep the pressure off Glennon.

Larry Fitzgerald against Darrelle Revis. If the Bucs put Revis on Fitzgerald in man coverage, this could be a very entertaining matchup with one of the league’s best receivers going against one of the league’s best cornerbacks.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Rookie quarterback Mike Glennon might not have his full stable of receivers when he makes his NFL debut Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Coach Greg Schiano said that tight end Tom Crabtree has been ruled out. Schiano said Crabtree had a setback with the ankle injury that has kept him out since the preseason. The Bucs had been hoping Crabtree could play this week and take over the starting role. Previous starter Luke Stocker is on injured reserve. With Crabtree out, Nate Byham is likely to get the start.

Starting wide receivers Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson returned to practice on a limited basis Friday and will be listed as questionable. Williams said Thursday he expected to play Sunday. Kevin Ogletree, Eric Page and Russell Shepard are Tampa Bay's backups at wide receiver.

TAMPA, Fla. -- After announcing that rookie Mike Glennon will start at quarterback Sunday, Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano said that Josh Freeman will take over the No. 2 role.

I’m not sure that’s really a good idea. For all intents and purposes, Freeman’s time in Tampa Bay is over. If they can find a taker, the Bucs gladly will trade Freeman for just about anything. No deal has happened yet and that’s why I think it would make more sense to make veteran Dan Orlovsky the No. 2 quarterback for the moment.

If Glennon gets injured, Orlovsky can take over. That makes more sense than handing things back to Freeman. The danger there is that Freeman could get hurt.

If Freeman gets injured, his trade value becomes zero.

TAMPA, Fla. -- In an exclusive interview with ESPN’s Josina Anderson, benched Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman said a trade is “going to be probably the best option’’.

Really, a trade is the only option. It would be best for the Buccaneers and best for Freeman. And, the sooner it comes, the better.

When the Bucs made the decision to go with rookie Mike Glennon as their starter this week, it essentially ended Freeman’s time in Tampa Bay.

Sticking around for the remainder of the season isn’t what’s best for Freeman. He needs a fresh start, and it’s not in the Bucs’ best interest to have Freeman around much longer.

His presence is a reminder of what could have been. Freeman is a popular figure with some of his teammates and, if Glennon struggles, there could be a divide among players. Freeman’s not the kind of guy that would start trouble, but his lingering presence isn’t healthy for the Bucs.

They might have to wait a week or two until an injury or ineffective play makes another team desperate to give up a decent draft pick for Freeman. But, as soon as the Bucs get anything close to a reasonable offer for Freeman, they should take it.

TAMPA, Fla. -- New starting quarterback Mike Glennon hasn’t been able to practice with his two starting wide receivers Wednesday and Thursday.

Vincent Jackson (ribs) and Mike Williams (hamstring) each missed their second straight day of practice. That’s less than an ideal situation, but Williams said he and Jackson already have chemistry with Glennon, who is replacing Josh Freeman.

“Everybody keeps worrying about that, but we’ve been working with him the whole year," Williams said. “There’s never been a practice where it’s just all Josh. It’s been Josh and Mike and Josh and Mike, and then just Josh on Sundays. Now, it’s going to be Mike on Sunday."

Williams estimated he had as many practice reps with Glennon as he did with Freeman during training camp and the preseason.

Williams also was very optimistic about his hamstring.

“I’m playing Sunday, 100 percent," Williams said.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The former starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed far more ability to escape the rush Thursday than he ever did in his playing days.

Josh Freeman was at his locker when the doors swung open to begin the 45-minute media session. Freeman, still shirtless and shoeless, caught a glimpse of the pack headed his way. In a split second, he grabbed his shoes and shirt and headed for a door to the equipment room, off limits to the media.

The media contingent still assembled near Freeman’s locker, waiting to see if he would come back. He didn’t. After several minutes, a member of the team’s public relations staff came by to say Freeman had declined to talk.

So we’re left to wonder about Freeman’s reaction to being replaced by Mike Glennon. We’re left to wonder if Freeman is demanding a trade.

And we’re left to wonder who made the call on Freeman, who usually is accommodating with the media, not talking. I don’t think it was the team and I doubt Freeman came up with the idea on his own. I suspect Freeman’s handlers (see agents) were the ones who made this call.

TAMPA, Fla. – Maybe losing his job as the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the best thing that could happen to Josh Freeman.

With Wednesday’s news that rookie Mike Glennon will take over as the starter, it’s fair to say Freeman’s tenure in Tampa Bay is just about over. He’ll either be traded this season or be allowed to walk away as a free agent afterward.

While those might not sound like great options, the history of the Buccaneers suggests otherwise.

Doug Williams, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer all went on to win Super Bowls after departing the Bucs. Vinny Testaverde went on to have a long and productive career. Can Freeman be as successful as those former Tampa Bay quarterbacks?

I think the talent is there. But Freeman is going to have to land in the right place. After what he has been through with Greg Schiano, Freeman needs a different style of coach. Freeman’s laid-back ways and Schiano’s militaristic style didn’t work well together.

There are plenty of people around the league who believe Freeman has what it takes to be a successful quarterback. Someone will give him a shot at a starting job.

Maybe Schiano ruined Freeman forever. Or maybe Freeman can do what Williams, Young and Dilfer did once they got a change of scenery.

TAMPA, Fla.. – After last season, Greg Schiano said he didn’t believe any NFL coaches and players were wed to each other. As it turns out, the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was right.

And wrong.

Schiano showed he wasn't wed to Josh Freeman when he confirmed Wednesday that he was benching the fifth-year quarterback. Now Schiano has tied his entire future to Mike Glennon.

That’s the rookie who will replace Freeman in the starting lineup Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

"I think Mike Glennon is Mike Glennon," Schiano said shortly after pointing to the success of rookie quarterbacks last season. "He’s going to help us win Sunday, and he’s going to help us win a lot of games."

Let’s face reality. Freeman remains on the roster for now, but it’s likely he’ll be elsewhere before the trade deadline in late October. This divorce between Freeman and Schiano was in the works for a long time.

Freeman was never Schiano’s "guy." Glennon is.

Schiano’s been infatuated with Glennon for years. He tried to recruit Glennon to Rutgers when he was coaching the Scarlet Knights. Glennon elected to go to North Carolina State, but Schiano didn’t want the quarterback to get away again and took him with a third-round draft pick in April.

At that moment, Freeman’s fate was pretty much sealed. The Bucs lost five of their final six games last season and Freeman struggled down the stretch. After the season, the Bucs looked at quarterbacks such as veteran Carson Palmer before ultimately deciding to draft Glennon.

The Bucs gave Freeman a chance to hold onto the job, but the deck was stacked against him. He failed to complete more than 50 percent of his passes in any of the first three regular-season games, and the offense never seemed to get into any rhythm.

“We’ve lost eight of nine games and we haven’t played particularly well on offense in the last nine games," Schiano said. “Although it’s not completely the quarterback’s fault, that position touches the ball every play."

The Bucs have a bye after the Arizona game, and could have waited to make a quarterback switch.

“It is beneficial I think that Mike will get to play a game and then have a bye week to really decipher through it and learn from the experience before he has to play his next game," Schiano said. “That’s a side benefit of the decision. But it wasn’t by any means the reason it was made now. We felt that it was time that Mike Glennon gave us the best chance to win and that’s why we did it."

So, just like that, the Bucs cast aside Freeman, who was the team’s first-round pick in 2009. Freeman was drafted by former coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik. Morris is long gone, but Dominik, the one with ties to Freeman, is still around. If there’s a fall guy for Freeman’s failure, it could be Dominik.

But Dominik and Schiano spent a lot of time together before the decision was made to go with Glennon. Then, they got the blessing of ownership. Now, they’re ready to move on.

There’s almost no chance Freeman can win the job back.

“Mike’s our starting quarterback from this point forward," Schiano said. “We’re moving forward and Mike’s our quarterback. That’s the plan and that’s how we’re going."

Isn’t going with a rookie quarterback sending a message to the veterans that this team is starting over?

“Not this rookie quarterback," Schiano said. “Not in my opinion. I think he gives us the best chance to win Sunday. That’s why we’re doing it."

Glennon had better win quickly. The Bucs are 0-3, and Wednesday marked a big day in franchise history. It was the day Freeman got pushed out of a job. That takes a big layer of insulation away from Schiano. The coach now is wed to his quarterback, and he'd better be right about this one.

If Schiano’s wrong about Glennon, this decision could cost him his job.

With Wednesday's news that the Buccaneers are benching quarterback Josh Freeman in favor of Mike Glennon, it’s time for a scouting report on the rookie.

Let’s turn back to this Insider item I did with ESPN’s Jon Gruden during Gruden’s QB Camp in the spring. Gruden spent more than four hours with Glennon and, prior to that, spent a lot of time preparing for the session by watching college tape.

Let’s see some of Gruden’s thoughts on Glennon:

“When I worked with Glennon, I told him there are some things he did better than anyone else in college football last year,’’ Gruden said. “Specifically, he can flat-out drive the football. The guy can absolutely hum it. Glennon can throw the ball to the wide side of the field effortlessly. In college, with the wider hashmarks, when you throw the ball to the wide side of the field, it's a big-time throw. In fact, there are some programs that don't even attempt it -- they don't even bother asking a QB to attempt a wide-side throw down the field. That's not the case with Glennon.

“This guy can make some really difficult down-the-field throws. If you watch the camp session with Glennon, you'll see we went through a "Fox Two XY Hook." I coached that pattern for 18 years. I'm not sure I've ever seen a QB at any level throw it with the ease Glennon can. Brett Favre threw a certain second-reaction post, by my count, about four times in his career. I saw Glennon throw it four times last season.

Gruden also gave a flattering answer when asked to compare Glennon to a current NFL quarterback.

“If you want a recent comparison, I don't think the similarities to Joe Flacco are unfair,’’ Gruden said. “They're both 6-foot-6, they both have really nice throwing motions and they both have a nice, compact stroke that just looks effortless. If you watch end-zone film of Flacco, there are times when you go, 'Wow!' when he snaps one off. I found myself saying the same with Glennon a few times."

TAMPA, Fla. -- Even before they drafted Mike Glennon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were looking for a potential replacement for quarterback Josh Freeman.

Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer confirmed that the Bucs made a play for him in the spring.

“My agent had said that Tampa had been contacting him a lot,’’ Palmer said in a conference call with the Tampa Bay media Wednesday morning. “I would have been very excited to be there. But I’m excited and happy to be where I am and I’m excited about our future.’’

The Bucs’ interest in Palmer is just further evidence of how deeply rooted the rift was between Freeman and coach Greg Schiano. The Bucs decided after last season that they needed an alternative to Freeman and they made a play for Palmer.

Freeman has been benched and Glennon will start against Palmer and the Cardinals on Sunday.

A weekly analysis of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback play.

Rewind: Josh Freeman had his third straight game in which he completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in a 23-3 loss to the New England Patriots. Freeman completed 19-of-41 passes (46.3 percent) with no touchdowns and one interception. Freeman was sacked three times and had four catchable passes hit the ground.

Fast-forward: New Orleans’ Drew Brees threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns against the Arizona defense on Sunday. But let’s keep in mind that the Bucs don't have anything close to Brees.

The Freeman era is over. Freeman will be benched in favor of rookie Mike Glennon for Sunday's game with Arizona, according to Adam Schefter. This is further proof that the reported rift between Freeman and coach Greg Schiano was very real. Glennon was drafted by Schiano and Freeman was not.

Prediction: The best thing the Bucs can do for themselves and Freeman is to trade the guy who once was viewed as a franchise quarterback. It's too late for Freeman and Schiano to patch up their differences and the Bucs have to move forward with Glennon.