QB Competition: Who will become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Starter?

by JScott on May 5, 2009 7:00 AM EDT in News

"Our plan [for Rookie QB Josh Freeman] would really be to compete with the four quarterbacks we take to camp, and let his talent show. I understand he’s 21. I’ve seen it where it helps if they sit. I saw last year where the guys played themselves onto the football field, but I do realize he’s a young quarterback, and ideally you’d like those guys to learn a little bit, prepare, and get caught up to the game. We’ll see how it goes in the preseason." - Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik per the Pewter Report

There you have it. We were all excited about the three man QB competition we initially thought we had, now throw two more names in the hat: Free Agent Byron Leftwich and Rookie Josh Freeman. Let’s discuss what may or may not come of this QB competition:

QB Luke McCown | 6’3 212lbs | 6th Season in the League

If we ran a poll (wait for it) the fan base would probably tab Luke McCown as the team’s early favorite to become the starting QB. #1 He’s making the most money of the QB’s on the roster, $5 ($2.5 mil guaranteed) million this season (well until Freeman gets signed). #2 He’s had more time running Jags offense thus far as he’s had more reps in practice. #3 You get the sense listening to Rah and Mark that he will be the starter. This is truly a make or break opportunity for McCown; he’s had four years to rise to the top and hasn’t. The pressure is on him to prove he can become the starter. He’s been billed the team’s most athletic player, so it will be interesting to see if he can avoid the big sacks this Pre-season and finally take hold of the starting gig.

Prediction: Luke will be the team’s starter.

QB Byron Leftwich | 6’5 250lbs | 7th Season in the League

Byron was brought in two weeks before the NFL Draft. He wasn’t given any guaranteed money on the first year of his two year deal, despite that he remains the biggest threat to unseat McCown for the starter’s job. Leftwich is coming off a successful stint as the Pittsburgh Steelers back-up QB. He possesses a strong will, good decision making skills, and a strong arm. The knock on him has always been his slow delivery and lack of mobility. He and McCown will go neck and neck during the pre-season to determine who starts for Raheem Morris.

Prediction: Leftwich becomes McCown’s primary back-up.

QB Brian Griese | 6’3 214lbs | 12th Season in the League

With Leftwich now on the roster, Griese lost his luster as the Veteran presence on the team. Couple that with the fact that he didn’t attend the team’s first three-day voluntary mini-camp and he’s on the outside looking in. I thought Griese provided enough last season in the way of the win column to forget adding another Veteran this off-season, but the Bucs did and so his days appear numbered.

Prediction: Griese gets cut prior to Training Camp in order to let him seek employment elsewhere.

QB Josh Johnson | 6’3 213lbs | 2nd Season in the League

This is a tough situation to figure out. On the one hand Johnson has Pro Personnel Director Doug Williams in his corner, on the other hand he has another Rookie QB coming in to take his minutes. If this were the previous regime I could see JJ getting cut. With the new regime maybe they find a way to get him on the field with his athleticism. However you chop it up it doesn’t look too good for the 5th round draft pick.

Prediction: Practice Squad material.

QB Josh Freeman | 6’5 248lbs | Rookie Season

Herein lays the wildcard. Josh will be given every opportunity to become the starter this off-season. Can he emerge as the starter? Beating out McCown and Leftwich? I’m not so sure. There’s no rush from a management perspective to throw him in there, as this is essentially a transition year. Add in the 5th toughest schedule in the NFL and you have plenty of reasons to let him sit a season. Will his ability not allow for that though?

Prediction: Freeman becomes the 3rd string QB and will play in the event that McCown/Leftwich are ineffective after multiple opportunities (think after Week 8's Bye Week) or if injuries occur.

Poll

Who will become the Bucs starter at QB?

Luke McCown will finally lead this team!

341 votes

Byron Leftwich was brought in to start!

225 votes

Brian Griese will defy logic and start!

23 votes

Josh Johnson will shock the world!

63 votes

Josh Freeman begins his career as the starter!

103 votes

755 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Those of you Johnson fans out there...

…we may be down to the last few months of JJ being a Buc. I personally can’t see him spending an entire year on the practice squad. From what I’ve seen in the past, not a lot of teams carry practice squad QBs because they get very little time in…well…practice. If it came down to it (meaning, if we actually got to the point that we needed a 4th QB), I’d imagine we’d just resign him or pick up someone else.

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by The Bull Gator on May 5, 2009 8:12 AM EDT reply actions

Not to mention....

if the coaches and owners had any confidence in JJ as a QB then they would not have signed and resigned all the others this year. All the Bucs have done in the past few months have just stacked the deck against JJ ever even making the roster. Plus, if the owners had any hope for the kid, the owners would not have allowed their pick in round 1 of the draft to be a QB for they normally are the highest paid.

by Tye on May 5, 2009 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions

QB Thoughts

McCown should get the start for nothing less than he’s the more prepared QB (right now). I’m not a huge McCown fan (nor a big Freeman guy………yet), but I think the worst thing you can do is start young guys to soon. You dont ever hear anything bad about a QB sitting for too long to begin their career, or sitting for a year. No reason to rush him out there. If he is the future of the franchise, then lets wait until he is ready.

Griese/Leftwich will fight for the backup job, and contract wise Griese wins, since we owe Leftwich nada right now, but i think Byron wins the job.

JJ seems like he has the tools and from what we hear, I’d like him to stick around, but I’m hoping the Front Office knows what they are doing by putting him on the practice squad (if thats where he goes).

Freeman, get into camp, learn the system and do us proud. Hopefully Morris doesn’t get over anxious and start you too fast. I’m all for a Carson Palmer situation, sit for a year, hold that clipboard and then own that job

by Buc Wild on May 5, 2009 8:30 AM EDT reply actions

My opinion..

McCown to me is the Bucs best hope and chance at a decent season. Not to say that I think he is a great QB but he seems to be the best out of what we have to pick from ( Garcia would have probably been our best hope but oh well). The game against the Saints when McCown started shouldn’t be over looked. He did go 15 for 15 in pass attempts before the 1st ball hit the ground and very few “elite” QBs have ever been able to accomplish that. He has a riffle arm because he threw that 60 yard pass to Galloway and it was right on the money. Not every QB can do that. He can run picking up 2 to 3 yards or even 15 to 20. And he did it with Gruden’s supposedly high tech., complicated offensive play calling and Jags Offense is suppose to be much simpler.
Leftwich had a 6 year opportunity to show whether he is talented and capable of running a team and getting them to the big Game. Not to mention as a Falcon he was beat out by Redman to start and when leftwich did get the nod he did no better. Desperately needing a QB to build the franchise around and they did not see him as good enough to resign. Matt Ryan (a rookie), with much of the same players on the team had a winning season the next year.
AS far as the rest of the QBs, well we probably won’t be hearing their name much this season.

by Tye on May 5, 2009 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

12% of the voters are saying Freeman should start...

…I’d kinda like to hear from one or two people who voted that way and why. Again, not trying to bash here. I just want to hear the thought process behind their voting.

I, for instance, voted for McCown for almost the exact same reasons Callmetaternuts and Tye said. Leftwich is a solid backup, but has proven over the last few years that backup is his best role at this point. I have doubts he can carry a team. I also don’t think Griese will be part of the team much longer. JJ seems like a nice enough guy, but he hasn’t proven to anyone that he should get a shot. If he had, we wouldn’t have signed another QB and then drafted yet another one in the 1st round. And we need to wait on Freeman. Everything points to this kid being most successful if he can be brought in slowly and have a stable coaching staff teaching him for the first time in forever.

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by The Bull Gator on May 5, 2009 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

I Personally Voted for Josh Freeman

Although i wouldn’t be upset if McCown Started (Not even remotely Upset) but however i do wish for Freeman to start and i’ll do my Best to explain.

For starters i Believe Freeman Will be more Explosive as our Starting QB ( No Real EVidence Behind this Theory, just like his Height and Mobility)

My main Reason is, This is our Rebuilding Season( I’m sure veryone could Agree with that) And when you Start to rebuild you must rebuild with Young Players (With Exception of a few, very few) And honeslty What better but to Build a Team around a Rookie QB.(Worked Pretty well for Atlanta) I think the Key to Rebuilding a team is to Rebuild it Around a Young (Future)QB. McCown is young but i honestly don’t see him as our Future.

Last but not Least, i can’t see us Drafting a 1st Round QB and even trading up to get him on top of that even pay him Big Bucks (Which Most 1st round QB’s do get paid Big Bucks) Just to ride the bench the whole season.

by Maxumas on May 5, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I respect your opinion....

Even if all the critics and experts that are down on this kid are wrong and he is talented enough to run the offense one day, I would think a good coach would want him to get some experience or profootball maturity of even being a part of a pro football game before just casting him into the war zone. If a guy is your future you sure shouldn’t allow his confidence to be distroyed before he really has the chance to build any. If Freeman is a Natural, he is still lacking experience in reading pro style D coverage and the speed of the game so if Morris throws him in against the Cowboys, they are liable to eat him alive. You know those LBs for the Cowboys would be sure enough fired up to pounce on a rookie QB. Once you allow a guys confidence to be torn down or destroyed it is much harder to get it back. Then he would be paranoid ,hearing footsteps, and playing scared makeing more mistakes. Sure don’t need for that to happen.

by Tye on May 5, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I wasn't thrilled either....

I wasn’t thrilled with the Freeman pick in the draft. But I have decided to give the guy a chance in the best interest of the team. However, I do think that he needs to sit this season out. And here’s my thought process on that.

For starters, yes, he is young. You really wouldn’t think that that could play a part in his developement, but it could. If he comes out and does a bang up job, then all should be well, unless he develops that “god” complex that often destroys locker rooms. On the other hand, if he comes out into one of the hardest schedules and fails, then everyone is going to come after him – Media, fans, etc. This could destroy the kid at his age, psychologically. And if his mind isn’t right, then his game isn’t going to be either. He needs to be eased into the WHOLE situation, so he can see how the veterans deal with the criticism and praise. Yes, sure he had that in college, but in college a player performs based on their personal goals. Now, in the pros, that same player is expected to perform. What he wants has nothing to do with what the front office wants. Put W’s in the column or else.

Holding the clipboard would be a good thing for him, especially against division rivals. Watching tape is one thing, but being able to see a defense on the field react live will help him understand the speed, the timing, reading the D, all of the essentials. One year on the sidelines isn’t going to kill this kids career. If anything, it can only help it. Watch the vets, learn from their mistakes and successes. It’s just like any job anywhere. You don’t walk in to a job straight out of college and become CEO, you watch and you learn.

That said, I will stop sounding like a psychologist and say that I think McCown will start. Leftwich will definitely back him up. I think the real toss up is going to come with Griese and JJ. I honestly see Griese being released before the regular season starts. I think this year in the preseason, with his career at stake, JJ will step up and show everyone something, just not enough to take the reigns. Freeman will be on the sidelines, hopefully developing into the franchise QB that we need for the next 7-10 years.

by Bucs_Fever on May 5, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I understand where your coming from but.

It’s one of those situations that you have to Trust the coaches to make the right decision, Because honestly non of us know if his mindset is right

But i disagree about a Rookie QB starting. For instance just last year Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco did Great starting for there teams And having a Rookie QB starting gives him the Real Experience on how to play in the NFL, Instead of reading it on a clipboard.

I understand where you guys are coming from but i’m looking forward to see if they Start Freeman, but Truefully i wouldn’t be heartbroken if McCown started.

by Maxumas on May 6, 2009 3:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Ryan and Flacco are just two examples though...

…the Falcons had a surprise season and the Ravens were already a pretty good team. For every Ryan and Flacco there’s 2 or three Carr’s our Couch’s.

There are some examples like that that do work, but there are also many more that didn’t work and a ton of examples where a guy sat in order to learn more and be ready in a year or two. Carson Palmer being the most recent one.

While I hope the coaches do make the right decision, I also hear what everyone is saying that Freeman is a few years away. We are a rebuilding team (regardless of what anyone thinks) and to throw him to the fire too early could be bad. We have to make sure everyone knows the new offense and defense before thrusting him into a game too early. He’s 21 years old. There’s no rush.

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by The Bull Gator on May 6, 2009 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Basically...

…I’m just saying, go back further than last season. More often than not, rookie QBs thrown in too early don’t succeed.

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by The Bull Gator on May 6, 2009 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I get where your coming from

and like i said. i wouldn’t be to mad if McCown starts. But i am looking to see if Freeman starts. But we will see soon enough.

by Maxumas on May 6, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

everybody said

after matt ryan’s first game in tampa everyone said “theres goin to be those games for a young QB” i say f-that Mccown is not good! i kinda was going for leftwich but in the end ur right Freeman needs to be our starter. at the end of the day hes a 6’5 250 pound QB never heard that before, if hes our guy of the future then thats now. all these people say we are going 4-12
anyway so waht do we have to lose he wins alright! he loses mcown would have had the same fait, and if freeman is an prone to getting hurt then we know early, next seasons’ QB’s look good
AT THE END OF THE DAY I JUST WANNA WIN< AND NOT SIT THROUGH THE SAME OLD BUCS BALL< RUN,RUN,PASS, we needed something NEW and we got it so why r we trying to play it soooooo safe we wanted change were getting it quit trying to be gruden and playing it safe
lets go all out, LETS GO DEEP

by gobucs on May 6, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Since you mentioned it...

As far as size goes, if you scroll back up to their pics you will notice that Freeman and leftwich are almost exactly the same height and weight.

by Tye on May 6, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

that was a joke

Raheem has said this many many many times “at the end of the day hes a 6’5 250 pound QB” then he smiles and says i exceited!!!!!!! now that i look at leftwich highlights he did not use his size that often maybe he lost alot his last marshall game?
he was never that fast, but he is better than Luke and faster, just look atthe pics who really looks violent like raheem says, not luke

by gobucs on May 6, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

way to take my post from a while back! >:[

"yesterdays a cancelled check, today is money on the line, tommarow is a promisary note" - unknown

"the trouble with me is that my ego just cant accept a loss" -Vince Lombardi

"i dont know any way to lead but by example" -Don Shula

"the only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary" -unknown

"the harder you work the harder it is for you to surrender" -vince lombardi

by dedman on May 6, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions

The starter should be Luke McCown and here's why...

In the three games that he has started as a Buc he has threw for 815 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. If he does this throughout the whole season, he will trrow for 4347 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He probably will not be this great, but he has a lot of potential.

by asdfg on May 12, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions