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Bucs Beat: Freeman emerges among quarterback options

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Josh Freeman has been quietly impressive so far in his limited practice time with the new Bucs coaching staff.

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 19, 2009

TAMPA - The Bucs wrapped up their offseason program last week with the rather surprising revelation that at some point in training camp they may throw rookie Josh Freeman into the mix for the starting quarterback's job.

If the Bucs do accelerate Freeman's ascent to the quarterback throne, it will almost certainly have as much to do with the play of the other contenders for that job as it does Freeman.

Neither Luke McCown nor Byron Leftwich performed exceptionally well during the recent minicamp, and it's becoming apparent the Bucs have concerns about both.

They're concerned about McCown's lack of experience, of course, but even moreso they seem to be concerned about Leftwich's lack of top-level athleticism and escapability.

"Byron is a true pocket passer, and when he's been out here in shorts without a live rush he's made very good decisions, thrown an accurate ball and hasn't turned the ball over,'' Bucs quarterbacks coach Greg Olson said last week.

"But his foot speed is not very good. He's slow getting to the launch point and he's got a very slow and long delivery. So you have to weigh that. Sure he's been completing a lot of passes, but will he be able to get the ball out?''

The Bucs are hoping the play of their line will lessen the concern over Leftwich's lack of mobility, but if the line is strong and there's talent around him, the quarterback should be successful.

That's why the Bucs are suddenly contemplating changing their plan for Freeman, who was originally slated to spend the year watching from the sidelines. The thinking: If he's surrounded with good talent, why not see what he can do with it?

"That's a big part of why Joe Flacco had success last year,'' Olson said. "If you can put him in a system where he's got a good offensive line and he has a great weapon at tight end and he has some weapons at wide receiver and we have a good running game, then the quarterback doesn't have to shoulder as much. That's something we want to think about.''

DOWNSIZING ON THE O-LINE: When the Bucs say they're going to run more this season, they're not just talking about their running backs.

That new zone blocking scheme offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski is installing calls for the offensive linemen to run more as well.

That's why guards Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah decided to shed some weight heading into this year's offseason program.

"I'm a lot lighter than I was last year,'' Joseph said. "I'm about 305 pounds right now and last year I was at 320, so it's a big difference.''

Zuttah says he's lost nearly 10 pounds and is down to a much sleeker and more manageable 295 pounds.

But it's not just the ability to get out and run more that has the Bucs' linemen – the guards in particular – slimming down.

"You have to be able to go hard the whole game, and if you've got that extra weight on you it's just not possible,'' Zuttah said.

"That was the message when we first got here,'' Joseph said. "It was, 'Get with it or get gone,' so you see where we are now.''

It's not just Jagodzinski pushing for the change. Line coach Pete Mangurian wants the linemen leaner, too.

The reason is simple. Offensive linemen don't alternate, so they have to carry their weight over the course of not only a full game, but a full season.

And with the Bucs hoping their linemen can stay strong late into both games and the season, the push is on to slim down.

HOW YOU FINISH: The Bucs are a combined 2-7 in the month of December the past two years. Coach Raheem Morris is determined to change that, which is why finishing strong will be one of the Bucs catch-phrases for the coming season.

"We have to become stronger as the year goes on, and we're going to keep reminding them of that,'' Morris said. "That's why we have to be fundamentally and technically sound, because hopefully that will allow us to finish strong.''

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

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