By JEFF CARLSON
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

For now, fans should trust Raheem Morris when he says Josh Freeman has the intangibles to succeed in the NFL, writes JoeBucsFan.com analyst Jeff Carlson

A fourth round draft pick by the Rams in 1989, Jeff Carlson was a Bucs quarterback in 1990 and 1991 before joining the Patriots in 1992. Carlson lives in the Bay area and trains quarterbacks of all ages via his company, America’s Best Quarterback.

After letting my jets cool a bit on the Bucs’ No.1 draft pick a bit. I had to agree that they have not had a long-term answer at the most important position on the team in many years.

Would I rather have Mark Sanchez? Yes.

But, the 19th pick wasn’t going to get Sanchez, and I wouldn’t have mortgaged much to move significantly up the draft board to get him.

I like Luke McCown, but he hasn’t proven to be anything yet and Byron Leftwich isn’t taking anybody to the “promised land.”  And the other Josh with a big arm must not have sold Morris while he was working against the scout team during practice last year.

I don’t know if Josh Freeman will be the greatest quarterback in the history of the league, but Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris drafted the tangibles. They took the huge guy with a huge arm and we have to take Morris’ word for it that he has the intangibles.

It was a big gamble, but every pick of every draft is a gamble. This new regime has defined its future on this pick.

Now, if the Bucs can play defense like they have in the past under Monte Kiffin and if they can run the ball like they did when Mike Shula was calling the plays (Shaun King was the QB–2nd round pick–and they lost the NFC Championship game), then they will be following the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens success with a rookie quarterback.

That’s a big if, but if you are a Bucs’ fan, now is the time to climb on board the “Freeman Fan Club” bandwagon.