Josh Freeman Benched For Mike Glennon: Panic Move by Greg Schiano?

The Tampa Bay Bucs, one of most promising teams in the NFC entering this season, already find themselves at a crossroads just three games into 2013. They’re 0-3 – an unlucky 0-3 – and now 2nd year coach Greg Schiano has made what looks like a panic move: inconsistent QB Josh Freeman has been benched in favor of rookie Mike Glennon.

Freeman, in his fifth year, has been plagued by inconsistency issues. He’s completing just 58 percent of his passes as a pro, and has hit rock bottom this year: 45 percent. [Jason Lisk will be getting into those later.] Regardless of what happens after this benching, it’s crystal clear – Freeman’s days in Tampa Bay are over. Bucs fans aren’t excited about Mike “Statue” Glennon – while he possess a cannon arm, he is immobile in the pocket, and makes Tom Brady and Peyton Manning look downright fleet.

When Glennon fails – maybe he plays OK this week against a mediocre Arizona defense, the way Brian Hoyer carved up the pathetic Vikings Sunday – the topic will rapidly turn to whom the Bucs want to draft as their next QB. If the Jaguars are the worst team in the league and have Teddy Bridgewater locked up, the next two teams in dire need of a QB are Tampa Bay and Cleveland. Both figure to be drafting in the Top 10.

[Aside: Will Schiano have any say in who the next QB is? I can’t imagine he’s on thin ice after 19 games in the NFL, although the mental miscues certainly need to stop for the Bucs.]

Tajh Boyd of Clemson?
Brett Hundley of UCLA?
Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M? [The Tampa nightlife scene would be a bad fit, IMO.]
Marcus Mariota of Oregon?