Joe’s thought a lot lately about bust-in-waiting quarterback Josh Freeman and his no-contract status with the Bucs.

Freeman’s superagent, Tom Condon, is seemingly in the driver’s seat for negotiating a lucrative rookie contract with the tight-belt Bucs. The team has gushed about Freeman perhaps more than any No. 17 pick in the history of the NFL. And last week, the Bucs went so far as to say Freeman appears ahead of schedule in his development and might have what it takes to start in 2009.

It sure sounds like the Freeman camp is sitting on major league leverage.

But maybe, just maybe, things are not as they seem.

Maybe it’s the Bucs who publicly delivered the Freeman-as-starter talk now in order to pressure Freeman himself into leaning on his agent to get a deal done and avoid a training camp holdout.

The kid is eager and hungry, and has a strong work ethic. He wants to play and might not care about a few million here or there when his coaches are telling him he could be named opening day starter in eight weeks.

Joe’s not saying the Bucs are lying in their positive assessment of Freeman. But there has to be a reason why the Bucs were willing to put that speculation out there in the middle of a contract negotiation. The Glazer Boys and Mark Dominik are not stupid.

When Freeman was on the radio last week with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, Freeman talked about his agent negotiating a contract and Duemig told him to remember that his agent works for him. 

It was wise advice. And possibly the Bucs are banking on Freeman following it.