A day after Bucs G.M. Mark Dominik bizarrely indicated that the team that supposedly picked its quarterback of the future in April is still searching for one, head coach Raheem Morris said that Josh Johnson, a preseason afterthought at the position, will continue to get a chance to prove that it’s him.
“Josh Johnson has earned the right to be named the starter,” Morris said Monday, per Pewter Report. “He did a good job of managing the game yesterday. He’s going through his growing pains, but I’ve got to give him his opportunity. I can’t base everything on what we want to see from Josh Freeman. He’s not in there yet. He’s number two and he’s got to prepare like the number two.
“I’m not going to set a timetable for Josh Freeman. I’m preparing Josh Johnson to win our next football game.”
For his next game, Johnson will get a first-hand look at the Eagles’ defense.
In his last game, Johnson completed 13 of 22 passes for 106 yards, one touchdown, and one interception at Washington. Though the Bucs led 10-0 at halftime, a better killer instinct on offense might have put the game out of reach before the Redskins would have had a chance to come back.
And so Morris continues to occupy a no-win situation. If Johnson fails, the team will have squandered an opportunity to give Freeman live reps. If Johnson succeeds, then the Bucs will have wasted a first-round pick at best, created a future Derek Anderson-Brady Quinn clusterfudge at worst.
