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Rookie may be in mix

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By ROY CUMMINGS

rcummings@tampatrib.com

Published: June 18, 2009

Updated: 06/18/2009 12:22 am

TAMPA - As they brought their offseason workout program to a close Wednesday, the Bucs sent a seemingly ominous message to quarterbacks Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich: watch out for Josh Freeman.

McCown and Leftwich are the leading contenders to start, but the Bucs say they won't hesitate to throw Freeman into the race if he continues to progress as he has in recent weeks.

"We discussed the Freeman plan last week and decided we'll probably go a week into training camp and revisit it and maybe expedite what he's doing," quarterbacks coach Greg Olson said. "We may get him involved earlier than we thought."

Freeman's involvement to this point has been limited. As was the case during voluntary workouts, he saw little playing time with the first- and second-team offenses during two days of mandatory minicamp drills. That could change once training camp starts Aug. 1.

"When he first got here he was forcing the football too much," Olson said of Freeman, the Bucs' first-round draft pick out of Kansas State. "If he shows he's progressing as far as the decision-making goes, then shoot, why not?

"If he's comfortable in there, he throws a great ball, he's accurate and if he's not turning the ball over, then gosh, maybe he will be ready to play this year."

The Bucs planned to have Freeman watch from the sideline this year, and that hasn't changed. Freeman has given them reason to believe it could change.

"He's pushing the envelope," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said of Freeman. "And the other guys are pushing back. But that's what you want. You want guys pushing each other. You want that competition everywhere on the field."

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979.

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