With the 17th Pick in the NFL Draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select:
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 6:33 PM EDT
in News
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 |  No. 17 |  Presented by Buc'Em Josh Freeman |
The Bucs jumped two spots to nab Freeman. They gave up their 17th overall pick and 6th round pick to the Cleveland Browns for the rights to draft Freeman. He will be the 5th Quarterback on our roster and we thought Jon Gruden liked accumulating QB’s. It’s not politically correct, but I see Freeman as the black Ben Roethlisberger based on sheer size and his ability to keep plays alive.
The deck is stacked against Freeman succeeding based on his completion percentage, td-to-int ratio, and decision making, but hopefully new Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski can mold him into a respectable NFL signal caller. This may not be the pick you wanted, obviously with our defensive needs, but let’s support him and the staff more importantly. We have McCown and Josh Johnson sitting on the shelf like G.I. Joe collectibles, but keep in mind Raheem and Dominik are not married to them…
Per Mocking the Draft:
Josh Freeman
6'6, 250 pounds | Kansas State | Quarterback
Strengths: Incredible arm strength. Can make just about any deep throw. Puts a nice touch on passes and knows when to take some heat off throws. Great size and can take a hit. Never had the best offensive line protecting him and was pressured frequently. Showed during his junior season that he can be mobile rushing for 14 touchdowns. Cut down on his interceptions ever season but still needs to improve his decision making. Played in a pro-style offense, albeit mostly from the shotgun.
Weaknesses: Not quite ready to be a starting NFL quarterback because of his lack of technique and proper footwork. Rarely steps into his throws. Holds the ball too low when he drops back which nullifies any kind of quick release he would have. Deep accuracy is somewhat questionable. Took the majority of his snaps from the shotgun. Struggles when he has to throw on the move.
Final word: Freeman is an incredibly intriguing prospect. He has a powerful arm and good touch. However, he is very mechanically flawed and will need a patient quarterbacks coach. Threw 34 interceptions in 35 career games, which is troublesome. Still, some team will fall in love with his physical tools. At times his play is reminiscent of Ben Roethlisberger, but he's been too inconsistent to chance a first-round pick on.
I’m not saying you can’t question the pick. With Everette Brown, Michael Johnson, and Vontae Davis still on the board it’s hard not to question this pick. But understand that he is our guy now!
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As promised, in Fan Post,
The 1979 interview with Doug Williams and the late Ricky Bell. Enjoy
Still under the Doug Williams Curse People. Its not over! We won a Superbowl with Defense!!!
by Niko Houllis on Apr 25, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
GO BUCS!
Freeman it is, can’t wait til next season!
by Starbucs32 on Apr 25, 2009 6:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
like the optimism
ha
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Im surprisingly optimistic too.
This is not the pick I wanted, which reminds me a lot of the last time we drafted a franchise QB. I was really happy with our guy, Craig Erickson. I thought he was learning the ropes, and was more than capable of leading us to the playoffs. Then we draft Trent Dilfer, and I felt like it was a wasted pick. Still do really. In his case, I dont think it was a case of him being ruined by the coaching staff like Testaverde was by coach Perkins. In fact, it was probably Dilfer that cost Sam Wyche his job!
I was really looking fwd to Luke McCown being the guy. I go back to that New Orleans game from last year, and as everyone one knows from my video on that game, Luke was the guy who won the game for us. But maybe there is a reason the guy has not broken into the starting lineup? Word was Gruden went with Griese vs Atlanta because McCown had a terrible practice, especially throwing too many picks in the red zone in the weeks drills.
I know one thing, I will be cheering Freeman on, just like I did Trent, Young, Testeverde, Deberg, and Williams before them. One nice thing is we have a QB with a clean slate. He hasnt lost one game for us. Hasnt thrown one interception. Lets give him our support, hes ours, hes a Buc. and if no one likes him? well the title of this site is???
Still under the Doug Williams Curse People. Its not over! We won a Superbowl with Defense!!!
by Niko Houllis on Apr 25, 2009 6:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
well said
i’m willing to defer to the coaching staff on this one… if McCown or Johnson had it in them to lead this team they wouldn’t have gone this route…
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Other than Tampa, who else was going to waste a First Round pick on Freeman? Denver? I don’t see any evidence of that. I don’t see any other team hot for this guy, or seriously needing a QB pick used in the First Round past Stafford and Sanchez. We could have traded down, snagged extra picks, get Freeman later in the First Round and STILL would have overreached for him.
by witty on Apr 25, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
simply put
we don’t know that, as fans we have no way of knowing, anything we say is pure speculation. The Broncos were rumored to want Brady Quinn, so they were in the market for a QB…
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i hear ya...
yea man, i wrote the article on how the Cornerback is the most glaring need for the Bucs. Like i said, which ever position/player we picked, there were going to be some Buc fans that are happy, and some Buc fans that are dissapointed. There are so many roads we could have gone down. I honestly thought we should have picked defense, and if ANY position on offense had been picked, it would have been at wide receiver.
But guys, it is what it is, and Freeman will need our support, so lets keep our heads high for the 09 season, GO BUCS!!!!
by rjblitz02 on Apr 25, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow
i like the pick a lot but for a team with plenty of quarterbacks we could of filled bigger holes . i hope to see luke mccown carry this team far that way josh freeman gets adjusted to the NFL
by the420bucsfan on Apr 25, 2009 6:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
it's certainly a puzzling pick
especially considering the needs on defense
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 6:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bottom line is at some point
it has to work out. Brad Johnson was a specialist brought here to take us over the top. But We have brought so many guys here to be “THE GUY” this team has not had since Doug Williams, who by no means was a great QB, but he was a winner. He commanded the respect of the team, and he led the team to wins. Thats been missing since 1982! Jack Thompson. Steve Deberg, Steve Young, Vinny Testeverde, Chris Chandler,Craig Erickson, Trent Dilfer, all drafted or brought here in their youth to be THE GUY. Three of them played in Superbowls with other teams, with two winning. One of the others made it to the AFC CHampionship game. But none of them worked out here.
Maybe, just maybe, this will be the one.
Still under the Doug Williams Curse People. Its not over! We won a Superbowl with Defense!!!
by Niko Houllis on Apr 25, 2009 7:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
How bout the Lions taking
the TE Pettigrew…
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 7:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think it was a good pick...
Personally I thought the Lions had a good chance to get 3 good players but they pick the Safety for Western Michigan, WTF?!?!?! They still had Rey Maualuga & James Laurinaitis on the board. Questionable call but I guess they saw something in him. We will see.
by Starbucs32 on Apr 25, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
great post guys
totally agree with everything being said. definitely wish we went defense, but its over with and freeman is a buc so lets get the bandwagon going. hopefully his arm strength and great workouts will start to translate on the field.
its interesting because there are still some defensive guys we showed interest in still available.
by chy07 on Apr 25, 2009 7:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah im still watching because
I think there is a chance we do something to get a pick in the second, but I doubt we have anything to give up…..except QBs that is !! Hmm Brian Griese back to the Broncos for their no. 2?
Still under the Doug Williams Curse People. Its not over! We won a Superbowl with Defense!!!
by Niko Houllis on Apr 25, 2009 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah
we definitely dont got much ammo to get into the second without giving up future picks. if we can pick up a solid defender withh our third pick or if possible move up then i think everyone would feel a lot better about that first pick.
by chy07 on Apr 25, 2009 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What part of NOOOOOOOOOOOOO can people not understand?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Yes I am extremely unhappy with this pick, and I don’t like it and I don’t accept it. My reasons:
1) WE HAD OTHER POSITIONS OF GREATER NEED. Defensive Tackle. I had Wide Receiver because it’s pretty much Bryant out there. People had Outside Linebacker and Defensive End. Some even had Cornerback and Safety, and I understand each spot’s need. We had veteran guys, reliable veteran guys like Griese and Leftwich and McCown. We had a developmental QB in Johnson. We. Did. NOT. Need. Another QB. Again.
2) Either we’re gonna see Freeman tossed to the wolves at some point during the season – in which case he’ll be eaten alive because all the scouting on this guy flat out says he’s not ready – or else he’ll ride the bench to ‘learn’ the game. We do not have that luxury of wasting a top draft pick this year on a guy who won’t play.
3) Every scouting report had Freeman as the 50th best player on the draft boards. THAT’S A THIRD ROUND TYPE OF PICK, AND WE WASTED A FIRST ON HIM. Worse, WE TRADED UP TWO MEASLY SPOTS TO SNAG HIM. I seriously think the Browns messed with our guys’ heads, calling them up and dropping hints that Denver was gonna take Freeman at 18, tricking the Bucs out of a cheap Sixth Rounder (which still doesn’t make any sense for THAT to be part of a trade). And to that I still would have said, LET DENVER TAKE FREEMAN AT THE 18TH SPOT! Sheesh.
Right now, I’m seeing this as the worst draft since 2004. Very bad… VERY BAD. >:(
by witty on Apr 25, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i can't argue with points
- and #2 as they are 100% correct…
Point #3 though, as the 50th best talent he was primed to be picked in the 2nd round, the Bucs didnt have a 2nd round pick by trading it to Cleveland in the off-season for TE Kellen Winslow. They would have surely lost out on their guy had they waited until tomorrow… We just don’t know who would have taken him following the Bucs
It’s a tough pick to swallow for sure, but i see the logic in it from the Coaching Staffs standpoint from a long term issue view. They clearly don’t believe in any of the QB’s currently on their roster. They are worried about their jobs number one. We can all yell till we are blue in the face about how they should have waited until next year to draft a franchise qb, but that means they would have to use one year to tank, one year to mentor, and then hope that qb blossoms in year three of their contracts. The league is win now as you know… it’s a tough pick no doubt….
tough to argue the merits of them going this route when the defense sorely needs help
Buc 'Em Your SBNation Tampa Bay Bucs Blog where Dull Boys are not allowed!!
by JScott on Apr 25, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I want him to succeed.
I really do.
That being said, he would not have been my pick if I were GM. Brown would have been my pick at 19 (there would have been no trade up, obviously)… I genuinely hope he pans out and ends up being the franchise quarterback. I can’t even begin to express how badly I want to be proven wrong about him, now that he’s here.
by OfficerRodFarva on Apr 26, 2009 4:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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