Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Free Agent QB Luke McCown

The Bucs announced this afternoon that they have re-signed QB Luke McCown.

I have always liked the guy, he throws a nice deep ball and he's pretty mobile.  IMHO his interceptions are a result of inexperience and that with playing time he will improve his decision making. 

What do y'all think about this signing in the Land of Red, Pewter and Black?

 Here is the ESPN Link

GO BUCS!

I can't wait for the draft...

Added to by JScott:

Head Coach Raheem Morris on QB Luke McCown:

"Luke McCown is a talented and athletic quarterback who we have gotten to know well over the last four years," "I know he is looking forward to the opportunity to be an integral part of our quarterback group this season." - St. Pete Times

QB Luke McCown on his decision to return:

"It was made clear to me over the process, over the weekend and today, that I was going to get a shot to compete to be the starter and the leader of this team and that's all I asked for and I'm excited for that chance,'' "I was looking for somebody, be it Mark or Raheem -- and it turned out it was both -- to show that confidence in me, that they were willing to give me a chance, that they see the potential I have to be a starter and not just a guy to hold down the position but lead the team for a couple of years, that's what I was looking for, someone to show me that support, and once I saw that, it was a no brainer for me.'' - St. Pete Times

QB Luke McCown on the opportunity bestowed upon him:

"There's no question in my mind, I'm ready to compete,'' McCown said. "I didn't bother to ask who, if anybody else, they were targeting (at quarterback). That didn't matter to me. I'm going to do everything I can to be the leader of this team and take us back to the playoffs. I think my teammates know that. I think everybody knows I just needed a chance.'' - St. Pete Times

He just needed a chance, that’s fine with me. He received chances in the past from Gruden, they were never long winded chances and so it appears he may get that shot. Hopefully he realizes (and I’m sure he does) that Brian Griese and Josh Johnson aren’t going to lay down and allow him to become ‘The Man’ while they sit back with clipboards. A healthy QB competition without preconceived notions about the guys competing is just what this franchise needs while moving forward with a new regime. New Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski will have all off-season to figure out who will run his offense the best. That alone should excite Bucs fans. Well that and McCown’s signing was followed by the Bucs trading a draft pick for a retired QB who has no intentions of playing for them. It is certainly a new day.

G.M. Mark Dominik alluded to having a plan for the QB position when he was initially hired and it appears McCown was a key cog in that plan considering the $7.5 million he gave him for the next two seasons. I think this decision does two things for the Bucs and their new staff: #1: It allows them to see if the 28 year old (When the season starts) Luke McCown is capable of being a starting QB in this league, if anybody can push him to do just that it’s Jags and Steve Logan. #2: If McCown is not up to the task and the Bucs fail miserably to a (4-12) record or worse they are set-up perfectly to draft their Franchise Quarterback next off-season when Texas’ Colt McCoy and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford both declare for the NFL Draft. Obviously scenario number 2 is a bit farfetched and quite pessimistic, but it is a real scenario worth contemplating. If anything this signing marks the end of the Jeff Garcia experiment. It’s kind of funny in that Garcia came to Tampa demanding his fellow QB’s take ‘their’ seat on the bench, in the end it appears those bench warmers will have the final laugh