Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman to grip and rip in first NFL start

Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman said Wednesday he is ready to "let it rip,' in his first NFL start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The 17th overall pick, described as a 'gunslinger,' by Bucs pro personnel director Doug Williams, does not seem the least bit pressured by the expectations surrounding his debut.

""I feel really comfortable with the offense right now. I've been working really hard with (offensive coordinator Greg) Olson and I feel comfortable with a lot of the guys I'm throwing to. I just want to go out there and let it rip.''

Freeman will become the Bucs' third starting quarterback in eight games. He played two seriies Oct. 25 in a 35-7 loss to the New England Patriots in London. He completed 2-of-4 passes for 16 yards and was sacked twice.

But the baptism was enough for Freeman to realize that the Packers and others teams will try to put a lot of pressure on him.

"I learned that teams are probably going to bring a lot at me as far as blitzes, which I'm prepared for because that opens a lot of stuff up down the field and in the middle of the field,'' Freeman said. "There was that, and also, it felt good just to be back out there, stepping into the huddle, just calling the plays and just getting my feet wet again. I'm really excited about the opportunity to get a whole game in this Sunday.''

Williams, who watched a lot of film of Freeman from Kansas State and in practice with the Bucs, said the 6-foot-6 passer is not afraid to throw the football downfield.

"I think you've got a gunslinger in him,'' Williams said, "I"'ve been watching practice every day. I've been going into watching tape. I think he's a guy who's going to take more chances than a lot of people. I think if you look at the quarterbacks that have been successful, they've kind of got a gunslinger mentality. You've got a 40-year-old playing in Minnesota. That's all he's ever done is take chances. At the same time, he's got some guys who understand if he's going to take chances, they're going to make some plays for him. And that's what I'm saying we're going to do. We've got to have those players who believe that Josh is going to get it downfield, so I've just got to find a way to come up with the football. So I do think he's got a gunslinger mentality.

"He's going to make some mistakes and we've all got to live with it. But I think the more he plays, the better he's going to become and understand that there's a time to take chances and a time not to.''

   

Comments

[Mark]

Im ready for josh freeman, I mean, what else more can go wrong?

[Valrico Rick]

Stop me if you have heard this one before. "We're going to take some chances down field"! So the fourth time we hear it you really mean it? First of all, Big Ben junior went down pretty easy, two sacks in 4 attempts. That's not very impressive, and you can't throw the ball down field until the receivers have a chance to get there so how's that going to work with out any kind of pass blocking? The Bucs couldn't block a blitzer if he had to RSVP first! Less talk, show us!!

[TrueBucFan]

No Comment of Freeman until he plays, my opinion is he sucks but we will see right? By the way the Chiefs picked up Chris Chambers which mean Tampa could have got him and just cut Clayton, but no. And Miles Austin might be a one hit wonder, but at least Dallas gave him a chance to play... Why the hell does Brain Clark not get the same chance? Sad......

[Burgman727]

Aye, gotta say that I liked the "other" Josh, but this is what they drafted him for so let's see what he got. He's not gonna do any worse for the team than the other two did (although Johnson actually exceeded what i was expecting out of him, because in essence he's a rookie himself). All I'm hoping for is that this team has a better result than the '08 Lions....Go Bucs!!!

[BucFandango]

C'mon Freeman, don't let us down, like your boss. I am going to wear my Throwback Brown Paper Bag on Sunday, but it will a Publix Bag, the official Paper Bag of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. My wife told me to put a Feather on the side and write "Baggo Bruce" on it. The Bucs are so bad she is refusing to go to the Games this year. She is not a Bagwagon Fan like me.

[TheBucStop.Net]

Will you guys please quit trying to push that new car off on me. Just because it's shiny and new doest mean anything to me. I have read up on it and all of the articles I have read say it is a piece of JUNK!!!! here in Florida we have a lemon law you know.The radio doesn't even work right. lol

[scott]

i must agree with burgman727...based on what i have seen of both (very little obviously) - I am more inclined to think Josh Johnson is the guy with the greater upside between the two. He simply has poise you would not expect from a rookie (which, for all intent and purposes he is).
I have long preferred the Dungy/McKay approach of player evaluation...actual performance should trump potential (the exact opposite of Gruden/Allen). And Josh Johnson has shown at every level he has played - to be a guy that produces (even though his college years were against inferior competition). Freeman was consistently inconsistent throughout his KSU days.
My prediction...after this 0-16 season...at the start of next year the coaches will (hopefully) open up the competition between the two once again.

[TheBucStop.Net]

The more I think of it I hope its not a warning on how bad we are gonna be after his debut stink like s***

[Robert]

It's like every 1 wants this kid to fail and for us to stink forever. I'm sorry, but Doug Williams knows more about football than any person on here posting and any guy at the radio station that has a show and KNOWS IT ALL. Williams was a great NFL QB and knows what it takes. If he backs this kid we should atleast give him his chance before making ridiculos assumptions. Freeman needs to stink before any of us can say he does and I dont mean just one start. Everybody is high on Stafford and Sanchez and they have not shown me much this year. Sanchez would be horrible if he didnt have the best run game in the NFL.

If freeman goes out and performs well he Morris could have a bunch of u eating your words. Morris said he like Freeman better than Sanchez and Stafford and Freeman wont have to do that much to perform better than both of those guys r right now.

[Drew]

Robert: I think you misunderstand the current state of affairs. It's not that people want him to fail. It's more the position he's being put in to succeed. Given the offensive line is pourous, receivers can't hold on to the ball and he'll be taking a lot of hits. I just don't see him succeeding. The personnel are just not there.

Raheem is leaning heavily on a sword and the only thing holding him up from plunging it deeply into his chest is Freeman. I think at the end of the season Raheem becomes another RIP statistic if it doesn't go well.

If it doesn't go well the honeymooners will end up getting divorced. :o)

[TheBucStop.Net]

OH here we go with the RAH RAH'S again face it each week you guy say we will win this week each week we lose Did you Guys all pitch in and write the book TAMPA FOOTBALL THE FANS GUIDE TO FOOTBALL FOR DUMMIES

[TheBucStop.Net]

Morris said ,Morris said How many times can you get lied too and still keep buying Rocks that are from the Moon from the man

[Drew]

Bucstop, you read the book we collectively wrote! Did you read chapter 10, page 463, paragraph 3? Apparently not... It states, I quote, "As a Fan at all cost avoid BucStop.net and put little value on the statements he makes on the Buc blogs".

[Drew]

RIP...

[Robert]

Drew, I see what you are saying, but it just seems like I read a bunch of this kid is horrible and inconsistent. When we should be hoping for the first time in a very long time we have a franchise QB. Morris may not be the answer and he may not have the greatest of WR's around him, but u dont need all of that to figure out if he can play and is the real deal. If he works out we will be on the fast track to having a contender again. If Freeman is the real deal then we can start drafting the pieces he needs around him. right now it's not worth spending a high pick on a WR becasue he doesnt have a QB to get him the ball. If Freeman works out getting him the pieces he needs will be the easy part. Rah may not be the guy, but lets hope Freeman is and we dont need to draft another QB

[Robert]

If he has the INTANGIBLES then u can start bringing in the other pieces and that what im hoping for

[Robert]

BUCSTOP is from Port Richey Drew. So I wouldnt expect anything else from him.

[blackmagic00]

Rookie gunslinger? I hope we have healthy wideouts after this game.

[TheBucStop.Net]

Wrong again BOYS I'm in Hudson now Hey Drew that was just what I thought it would be without class or knowledge of what your talking about.

[jjbjeff]

You're right Robert, you can evaluate FREE playing in a broken offense. We did that here before with a guy named Steve Young, and he sucked so we traded him. OOPS!!

I'm being realistic and not negative when I say the kid has no chance. The kid does not have the qualifications. Someone posted on here that he has "all the intangibles". OK. He doesn't even possess the basics. He was a middle of the road player in college who had one good year.

Just like Raheem the dream this kid has no qualifications (other than his rifle arm)

Hopefully he doesn't go all Dexter Jackson on us and start flopping around against Green Bay like he did in London. Two sacks on four attempts? YIKES!

I'm honestly just hoping they hand the ball off every play. I just want to see a close game, and stop this embarrassment.

I, for one don't want to watch this "rookie gunslinger" performance. It is going to get ugly real quick.

[JimN]

When I see any headline alluding to the Bucs taking more chances, I'm ever more sorry I don't have Green Bays defense on my fantasy team this week. So what changed? Leftwich threw down field and took chances trusting his 'receivers' to make a play... or at least catch the catch-able, so did Johnson, so how is Freeman supposed to save the day with the same group of 'skillets for hands' receivers? He won't. And the sad part is it really won't be his fault. All 3 Bucs quarterbacks have the talent to get the job done. Our 'receivers' probably couldn't play in most good high school programs. But Freeman will try, he will have faith in his receivers, and as they let him down time and time again, he will end the game with at least 4 picks, possibly 6.

[ORLBUCFAN]

I am not crazy about Freeman. However, I do not know zip about college players cos I don't watch college football. I respect what Doug Williams says. I also know he brought in JJ whom I am very impressed with! Freeman reminds me of a huge teddy bear w/no brains. It's a harsh assessment and I sure hope I'm wrong. Sunday will be interesting for sure.

[Bucs101]

ROBERT, I'm sorry did you say Doug Williams knows football? As I recall Robert, you wanted Luke McCown like alot of us, Olsen and Jagz were the two guys that wanted Luke to be the guy, Dominick, Morris, and yes Doug Williams wanted Leftwich. Doug Williams thought Leftwich should start because of his experience and leadership. Good Call. Lets be honest, Doug Williams saw himself in Leftwich, because of his career. A journeyman QB that other teams did not want and when he got on a team in Washington it was as a backup. Then when he got his shot to start (in the playoffs mind you) he took them to the Superbowl and won yay, I'm overjoyed. My point is Williams is not a good judge of talent or he would not have picked Leftwich as the starter.

[GoBucs]

Robert, did you say Doug Williams was a great NFL QB? HAHAHAHAHA ROFL LOL, SHUT UP!! Williams had 100tds and 93ints and the only reason he got a start is because Washington's starter got hurt. Hell and after the strike he got benched again. Yes he has a Superbowl, but so does Dilfer in the same way. Williams was not a good QB and he proved it in Dallas when they shut out the Bucs in the playoffs. Freeman is not going to do good. He not going to shut our mouths. But hopefully he will shut yours Robert. And stop your stupid comments about that fat Freeman. But the truth is when Freeman bombs, Robert will still run his mouth about him and say he is young and he needs more time.

[OAR]

"Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman to grip and rip in first NFL start". I did that the other night after my visit to my favorite Mexican restaurant.

[John P]

It's great to be able to talk about something besides another loss coming up. But really, if Freeman is any good -we're talking about a 42-17 loss, instead of a 42-7 loss. It doesn't matter if Freeman is any good at all. Until the defense gets better, Freeman CAN'T win a game. So I don't think he has any pressure at all, because everyone on the Bucs knows how these games are going to go. For the kid, this is just a glorified full contact practice.