Defensive backs coach Raheem Morris is one of three key 2009 free agents in the Bucs secondary. Jermaine Phillips and Phillip Buchanon are the others.

The key 2009 unrestricted free-agents-to-be on the Bucs are Jeff Garcia, B.J. Askew, Kevin Carter, Phillip Buchanon and Jermaine Phillips, according to ESPN.com.

But a bigger priority than those names for the Bucs might be Raheem Morris, the stud, 32-year-old defensive backs coach possibly in line to take over for Monte Kiffin when he leaves for Tennessee. Morris also is a free agent after the season.

Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times takes a look today at Morris’s mindset as a hot assistant coach in the NFL. It seems Morris may be looking for a top job, rather than his first coordinator gig.

Realizing their mistake, the Bucs lured Morris back by making him one of their highest-paid assistants. Last season, the secondary improved from 19th to first in the NFL. It currently stands third.

But he doesn’t have a contract for next year. Didn’t want one.

“Why am I a free agent? It’s just my choice,” Morris said. “It’s nothing with the Buccaneers. They’ve been awesome. I just chose not to put myself in a position to lock myself up.

“If the opportunity presents itself, I just wanted to have the choice (to go somewhere else). It’s no secret they’ll make the choice for you. And that’s fine. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, and they’ve done a great job with the coaches. All the guys they’ve held back have become head coaches or have become coordinators. So they’ve done something right.”

Morris clearly has the Bucs where he wants them. Joe is hard pressed to believe he’ll stick around Tampa without landing the Bucs defensive coordinator job.