The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cannot Be Afraid to Start Mike Glennon
By Erik Lambert
Aug 8, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) throws the ball during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
One can understand the reluctance of any team to start a rookie at any position, let alone the most important one of all. Still, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up Mike Glennon for a reason and if he passes the eye test, then they can’t let fear stop them from handing him the reins.
Josh Freeman continue to not take command of NFL starting job
For a quarterback that supposedly has all his teammates behind him, along with the coaches, it’s unusual why Josh Freeman has struggled so much early in the NFL preseason. With his contract up after 2013 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers unwilling to negotiate until they seem more progress, one might think he has extra motivation to do well. So far the signs are not good. After a loss against Baltimore in the first preseason game where he completed four passes for 34 yards, he followed it up with a snoozer against the New England Patriots to the tune of two completions for eight yards. Also in those two short stints he has been sacked four times. Those are not the marks becoming a star quarterback, regardless if it is just the preseason. By comparison, Tom Brady has complete 18 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the same amount of playing time. Freeman still has two games to go. If he does well in the third preseason game where he will see the field for three quarters, then it should put to rest any questions at least for awhile. So what happens if he doesn’t?
Greg Schiano not shy about pointing Glennon out
Most everybody agrees that there isn’t much of a quarterback controversy going on in Tampa Bay. So here’s a question. Why not? Head coach Greg Schiano stated at the end of last season that he wasn’t happy with how Freeman ended 2012, and reinforced that displeasure by green lighting the selection of N.C.State quarterback Mike Glennon in the third round of the NFL draft. Has everybody forgotten so quickly that another N.C.State quarterback named Russell Wilson, coincidentally selected in the third round, recently took his Seattle Seahawks team to within seconds of the NFC championship? No one can say Glennon will do the same thing but a lot of scouts believe he looked the most like a pro quarterback than anybody else in the draft class. His tall frame, solid arm and toughness against pressure were all on display against New England when he threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns against an aggressive and complex Patriots defense. He isn’t ready to take total control of the offense, but consider Schiano built the Buccaneers to run the ball well and play good defense, isn’t that the kind of environment friendly to a rookie? It certainly worked for Wilson.
The point is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are too consumed with the Josh Freeman question to not realize they may already have their answer. The longer Mike Glennon performs better, it just gives Greg Schiano an excuse to act. He can’t let fear get in the way of progress.