Head coach Greg Schiano is sending starting quarterback Josh Freeman to the bench in favor of rookie Mike Glennon, who will make his first NFL start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Schiano said last week at New England that he didn’t consider pulling Freeman, dismissing the fact that Glennon warmed up on the sideline in the third quarter of the 23-3 loss that dropped the Buccaneers’ record to 0-3.
On Monday, he said “Josh is our starter,” when pressed about the quarterback pecking order.
“I think he understands what we’re trying to do with our offense,” Schiano said. “I think when he’s in the pocket, he feels comfortable delivering the ball. It’s when things break down a little bit that it hasn’t been as good as it’s been before, and it will be again.
“One of his strengths is extending plays. But, again, when you have variables, where we’re not sharp enough on the details, it’s hard to be the trigger man when some things aren’t going the way they’re supposed to.”
Freeman, criticized for not throwing unless receivers are entirely uncovered downfield and erratic accuracy, is a free agent at the end of the 2013 season. The biggest knock on Glennon, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound pocket passer, is accuracy and limited mobility.
Schiano addressed Glennon’s accuracy in minicamp.
“The thing with the accuracy, if you watch, he had an extraordinarily high number of dropped passes. Certainly not every throw is on the spot, but that’s something we took into account,” he said.