Buccaneers Go With Leftwich, For Now...

Your starting quarterback for the 2009 version of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is, drum roll please, Byron Leftwich. Wasn't all that hard, was it? Leftwich is coach Raheem Morris' man because this Buccaneer team will establish the run. That's easy enough, turn, Byron, and hand the football off to Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham or Derrick Ward. No scrambling ability need for that. Leftwich is the quarterback because those three runners will run, and when it's time to pass, Leftwich will fake the handoff, play-action and easily hit one of many open receivers. Sounds great. They'll be open, for sure and that big wind-mill windup of his won't matter as he'll have all sorts of time. Leftwich is the quarterback because of his experience, although Morris wouldn't come out and say that mattered. The committee has voted and big ole Byron is the guy. He'll face the Dallas Cowboys, he'll be the one who can surely dodge the charging DeMarcus Ware, he who registered 20 sacks last year. No problem. So what becomes of Luke McCown, Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson? Morris tells us McCown is the backup. That's a $2.5 million backup qb. He makes more than the starter. Then there's your $35 million bonus baby -- Freeman. He'll hold the clipboard, chart the plays and be inactive on game day. Wait, it gets even better. Morris says the fourth guy, Johnson is "one of the 53 best players on the team." So is this the second coming of Jon Gruden, he of the four-quarterback roster? Oh this story is not finished by any stretch of the imagination. There is and will remain a quarterback controversy on this Buccaneer football team. Count on it.