McCown Eager To Prove He Is Bucs' Best Choice At QB

Luke McCown knows he is not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first choice.

If coaches had their way, Denver quarterback Jay Cutler would be the face of their franchise. Bucs officials would have been equally gleeful if they could have acquired former New England quarterback Matt Cassel.

McCown might become Tampa Bay's starting quarterback by default, but as the Bucs' first minicamp begins on Tuesday, there is one thing he wants to prove.

He is the best choice.

"I got a job to compete with whoever they bring in and I will do my very best to make sure whoever they bring in doesn't get a chance to play," McCown said.

After spending five seasons primarily as a backup, McCown may finally get his wish.

McCown (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) was among the first potential free agents Tampa Bay's re-signed this offseason, the two sides agreeing to a two-year contract worth $7.5 million (it could grow to as much as $14 million with incentives).

Tampa Bay believed in McCown so much, it elected not to re-sign Jeff Garcia, who started the past two seasons. McCown also is one of only three quarterbacks currently on Tampa Bay's roster.

Players and coaches have indicated McCown likely will be Tampa Bay's starting quarterback in 2009, an opportunity he is ready to seize.

"In the past, in your head, you know you have to wait your turn, but at the same time, I'm going to push Jeff [Garcia] as hard as I can. I'm going to try and be better than him," McCown said. "I think that's helped in this transition in actually knowing I have an opportunity now. I've got a lot of experience preparing for an opportunity because I've always prepared for an opportunity.

"That's the way I'm attacking it, and I'm going to go at it full force."

McCown, 27, might be ready to attack like a general, but he has the resume of a private.

He has started seven games during his five-year career and threw merely one pass last season as a third-string player. He is 1-6 as a starter, the win coming in 2007 with the Bucs in a critical game at New Orleans.

McCown's biggest career highlight came in that game: 15 straight completions against the Saints to tie Steve DeBerg for the second-most by a Bucs quarterback in a single-game. He completed 29 of 37 for 313 yards and two touchdowns, and led Tampa Bay to a 27-23 win, arguably the Bucs' most important victory that season.

Although McCown's teammates are fully aware of the growing pains he might face this season, they are confident in his abilities.

"I personally think, with the exception of Michael Vick when he was here, and probably Vince Young, I don't think there is an athlete as good as Luke McCown at the quarterback position," Tampa Bay running back Earnest Graham said. "Letting Luke have a chance is a great decision.

"I think he should have gotten that opportunity a long time ago. I think we're moving in the right direction."

Derrick Ward, Tampa Bay's newly acquired running back, believes McCown can direct his team with the same success as New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Ward and Manning were both drafted by New York in 2004. Manning struggled his first few seasons in New York and many critics doubted his ability. He silenced those critics after leading New York to a Super Bowl title during the 2007 season.

"I see a lot of similarities," Ward said. "Luke, he's a way better athlete than Eli, but it's not all about the athletic ability. It's pretty much about your smarts, if you can read the different coverages or the different blitzes and techniques these lineman do.

"That was what Eli was pretty good at and I'm pretty sure Luke is pretty attentive in meetings ... I have all the confidence in the world to run behind him and block for him and do all the things I need to do to make him more successful."

Tampa Bay has done plenty to ensure its quarterback will be successful this season.

The Buccaneers have a strong backfield combination of Graham and Ward, and acquired premier tight ends Kellen Winslow (trade) and Jerramy Stevens (re-signed). Tampa Bay also re-signed receiver Antonio Bryant, one of the NFL's best players last season, and Michael Clayton, a former 1,000 yard receiver. Add in one of the NFL's youngest offensive lines and McCown's only requirement is not to mess it up.

Starting this week, McCown plans to show why overlooking his skills is a mistake, but there is one thing more important to him.

McCown wants to prove he is the best choice.

"I just need that opportunity to go grow into being a proven and experienced guy," McCown said. "You can't go out and buy it. You don't get it coming out of college. You have to wait your turn. If that's sitting on the bench for five years, six years, then that's just kind of the way it goes.

"I'm ready. I feel like I'm ready. If I'm not ready now after six years, I don't know when I'll be ready. I'm going to take my lumps as everybody does, but I'm going to get better through them."