What Went Wrong With Josh Freeman?
October 9th, 2013
Joe knows some readers roll their eyes at Josh Freeman stories. That’s too bad. Freeman’s ousting from the team may be the biggest story to come out of One Buc Palace since Chucky was jettisoned.
When a proclaimed franchise quarterback, a first round quarterback, is cut midseason, before his contract runs out, that is huge news and speaks to a lot of things going on behind the scenes at One Buc Palace.
So what went wrong with Freeman? Tom Pelissero of USA Today decided to ask scouts and, essentially, it seems a combination of bad coaching from his quarterbacks coaches along with mental struggles on the field doomed Freeman with the Bucs.
“You see the physical tools,” the second scout said, “but you see regressive qualities in his footwork, mechanics, location – the technical precision of the game that is required to play that position beyond the physical dimensions that you can evaluate.”
A new scheme and new coordinator last year may have hurt. But it’s disappointing, the second scout said, that Freeman didn’t continue to grow as the Bucs gave him more weapons, including receiver Vincent Jackson and running back Doug Martin.
“The up-and-down play, the inconsistent performance, selective decision-making under pressure,” the second scout said. “Some of those things you wouldn’t expect for a guy who was a developing player in Year 3 or Year 4 of the maturation process.”
So Ron Turner and John McNulty weren’t much for mechanics, eh? Who would have thought?
When Joe read this, the first thing he thought of was last year when Shaun King, one of three Bucs to lead the team to an NFC championship game, famously said that Freeeman needed a shrink.
Look, if you hire position coaches who openly admit they don’t teach mechanics and technique, should Freeman imploding really surprise anyone?
October 9th, 2013 at 8:13 am
BOOOOO! Talk about the Bucs!
http://www.JoeFreemanFan.com
Lol I understand WHY you feel the need to post these topics, I just don’t understand why the topic is important. He’s a Viking now.
October 9th, 2013 at 8:19 am
The qb should be the most intellegent person on the field on offense. That wasn’t the case when josh stepped on. He was an idiot who didn’t have a pair between his legs.
October 9th, 2013 at 8:26 am
I have long thought Free was a head case; I think that is his biggest problem. I think Shiano messed with his head with all the “competition” bs, etc, instead of just ‘giving’ Free total support. Not that I am blaming Shiano. A franchise QB has to be strong mentally, or what happens when the big playoff game comes?
Unfortunately, Free did not have the mental tools he needed for the job. As far as a coach not feeling he needs to teach mechanics, I cannon even comprehend that. Mechanics are fundamentals, right? What coach does not believe in teaching/practicing fundamentals? Shiano has them doing basic tackling drills, which I fully agree with. So why would you not do the same with QB mechanics?
October 9th, 2013 at 8:33 am
Walter,
Our 2013 season is OVER because of Gosh Freeman.
He killed out 2012 and 2013 seasons.
October 9th, 2013 at 8:39 am
You are trying to make a point to a bunch of Stone walls, I’m afraid, Joe.
Most of these guys don’t understand that a QBs performance is going to be greatly affected by his coaching, and the Scheme he’s in.
Because they are really clueless Zombies- as I frequently point out! Lol
The same guys that think Raheem and his staff were horrible Rookie Screwups, expected Josh to be an All pro at the same time!!
They tell you that Raheem screwed up the offense, and wrecked the Defense!
But expect Josh- who had to run their screwed up offense- to perform like Tom Brady. As if he was not on Raheem’s team- but Flown in just for game day, with his own secret game plan!! Untouched by Raheem’s band of merry mess ups
It’s become apparent that our next set of Rookie coaches are in off their heads horribly. Schiano has cost is 6 out of our last eleven games. We were leadinh( thanks to Josh!) with 2 minutes or less. Yet Shiano’s foolishness managed to yank Defeat from the Jaws of Victory!!!
The guy doesn’t know how to win. He never has. Didn’t win at Rutgers, won’t win here!!
But again- The zombies blame the whole damn teams bad performance on Shiano! Except Josh- who again must be making his own game plan- without any screw ups from the Pasta Nazi!!
Three rookie offensive cordinators. Two rookie coaches. That’s all we ever gave Josh. Oh, and some even worse rookie QB coaches.
The team is horrible because of Raheem and Shiano
But Josh is Horrible, because he parties to much!!
Riiiight!!
Get ready for The team to look dumb again. If Frasier let’s Josh run again, and throw off if Roll outs and play action( forbidden by the Pasta Nazi!),
The you may see the Josh of Two years ago.
And the whole league thought that Josh was going to be a Superstar!
October 9th, 2013 at 8:41 am
Another post , gone MIA
October 9th, 2013 at 8:42 am
Good to know we’ve moved on. SMH
October 9th, 2013 at 8:43 am
Freebow doesn’t need a shrink, he needs an intervention!
October 9th, 2013 at 8:45 am
:rollseyes: lol
josh freeman went wrong with josh freeman….its not rocket science. But what does seem to be rocket science is the play calling HC/OC/DC need to improve on….or they too will no longer be Bucs!
Your site Joes write all you want on him…..I just hope you keep writing on all of his failures with the Vikes when they start him. He’ll fail there too, but blame their coaches too.
October 9th, 2013 at 8:52 am
I’ve heard every excuse made for Freeman but the one thing I HAVEN’T heard was Freeman taking accountabilty for his own actions and saying he needed to work harder which is why he regressed. But whatever.. Let Minnesota waste their money when there are 2 QB’s already on their roster better than Freeman.
October 9th, 2013 at 8:59 am
So,
Raheem and Olsen Totally screwed up the offense!!
But that shouldn’t affect Josh.
The Pasta Nazi and the Wretched Rutgers Offense has ripped Defeat from the Jaws of Victory 6 of the last Eleven games!
We were leading with 2 minutes or less remaining( Due to Josh),until some stupid Coaching hi jinx cost us the Game!
But Josh has to win each game Twice. And Schiano and his idiotic” don’t need a TE, don’t use a Slot receiver has Screwed up our Offense.
But that has no effect on Freeman. He must play like Aaron Rodgers!!
Two shi*+y rookie head coaches. 3 shi*ty rookie offensive cordinators.
All have ruined our offense.
But none if that affected Freeman. He must be partying or something.
DP4life- Shiano said thanks, for helping continue the smear campaign he started. Good to Know the Vikings are rebels, who don’t Drug test like the league requires all teams to do to newly arriving players!!
Can’t believe they have a drug guy almost 4 million!
October 9th, 2013 at 9:00 am
Haha Ponder and Cassel are not better than Freeman. I wonder how Adam Schein feels, his boy wonder is about to be replaced with Freeman hahaha
October 9th, 2013 at 9:00 am
I like the Josh Freeman stories, so keep them coming, Joe. Especially when he starts playing and his WRs actually catch his passes causing him to have a 65% ratio.
Especially when he wins a Superbowl like Doug Williams, Trent Dilfer, Steve Young…
Actually, Joe, now would be the perfect time for an article about the Quarterback Curse. Where did it originate? Could Josh Freeman result in its return?
October 9th, 2013 at 9:04 am
DP4life, stop with the coccaine accusations. You do realize a player successfully sued a blog commenter this past year after the courts permitted tracking him down by IP adress don’t you? Slander is slander.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:16 am
All the coaching in the world will not stop how much he never looks off receivers, how he never pump fakes, the mis communication with routes….now granted, he had some receivers drop passes, but all QB’s do. And some of those passes looked pretty difficult to me. Plus, I just dont see a fire in him at all and of course the deer in the headlights look dont help.
I stopped being a freefree last year after his disappointing meltdown. And sfter what I saw this year, I really dont think he’ll improve. Especially now, he’s got another new system to learn (chuckles….boy oh boy). But I still want to see some changes with our own Coaching or things wont improve, even with Glennon’s arm and intellect.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:17 am
Josh isn’t the quarterback of the future. He didn’t grow with experience like he should have and, actually regressed. Then we all heard he had problems with the coaching and the team. I’m a one problem at a time guy and when your “leader” has so many problems …the time is right to send him to Minnesota. I believe the real vikings didn’t tolerate loss very well 🙂 Good luck Josh ….
October 9th, 2013 at 9:26 am
I would absolutely love Freeman to try to sue. He doesn’t want to be deposed. I 1000% guarantee you won’t see a lawsuit.
Can anyone show any proof besides Freeman’s claim that the positive test was for Adderall? The league and team are handcuffed by the CBA. Any player can come out and say what they poz’d for, but, there’s zero proof.
I’ll still be he likes the white pony. Fastest drug to get through your system. For a pro athlete, easily out in 2 days.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:42 am
A decade of monumental mistakes in regards to talent is what has set this team back. This franchise has been too quick to had over positions to players without ANY proof of star potential or even a hint of potential. Going back to Ruud where the team basically made the great white hype the face of the franchise. He was supposed to be the leader and future! How could they not see that he was neither? Freeman sahe exact situation! Put all your eggs in one basket (basket case) and now here we are. Starting over once again! No team is perfect when picking talent, but at least make sure the players you build your entire team around are superstars.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:44 am
@ Joe, Just because a QB has all of the physical tools such as being tall and having a strong arm doesn’t mean that he’s going to be any good in this league. A lot of QB’s get drafted in the 1st round and are projected to be that team’s franchise long term guy, but most don’t work out. Then they bounce to multiple teams and are soon out of the league. That is what will happen to Freeman, who never should have been drafted here in the 1st place. So I guess he wasn’t the Buc’s franchise QB after all.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:46 am
Are bad mechanics in a 5th year veteran really a sign of bad coaching? Or maybe a sign of a QB who just doesn’t care all that much?
October 9th, 2013 at 9:54 am
4000+ yards and 27 touchdowns aint wrong.
its right. very right.
His failings were not field related but apparently he was not good at totally kissing Greg Schiano’s rear end and fully buying into the High School mentality and inability to coach on game day.
Im sure the rest of the NFC South is absolutely delighted not to face Free anymore. Kinda like when Chucky got fired. No longer had to worry about the bucs taking the Division. Havent sniffed it since.
Simply put were a worse football team, by a wide margin, without Josh. Just as Sapp pointed out.
October 9th, 2013 at 9:57 am
Joe, YOU were the one who said he was a bust waiting to happen when he got drafted. Turns out you were right. Now you want to blame it on coaching??
October 9th, 2013 at 10:01 am
Freeman failed both on and off the field.
October 9th, 2013 at 10:08 am
The Freeman saga is over…..lets move on and end this broken record routine Joe!
Actually, it is not over. So long as John McNulty et al are employed by the Bucs, the story will continue to have legs. — Joe
October 9th, 2013 at 10:10 am
What went wrong I would say, is drafting him in the 1st round…. It wasn’t like he lit it up in college… He was drafted by the Bucs because he was associated with the HC at that time and not his merit!…
It has been a rough couple of years but at least moves have been made to rectify the huge blunder… It seemed everytime the Bucs got him more weapons it just highlighted him flaws even more….
Hopely MG will play as intelligent as people have said he is!
October 9th, 2013 at 10:29 am
Joe, you can’t make a racehorse out of a jackass.
October 9th, 2013 at 10:51 am
Biff,
Gotta get out to the movies more. Racing Stripes (2005). It could happen! Lol.
October 9th, 2013 at 10:58 am
Tye.
What people said about Glennon, is that he was a late 4th/5th round pick.
Inaccurate. Inconsistent, immobile.
Schiano loved him since Rutgers, and made a major reach for him.
I don’t think Schiano knows enough about Football, to appraise talent( imo)
But he does look like Beaker, which makes me laugh!
And laughs are about the best Shiano’s teams can manage
October 9th, 2013 at 11:43 am
I wonder what Fran Tarkenton thinks about the Vikings new QB?
October 9th, 2013 at 11:47 am
nevermind, he’s changed his tune. like so many other people in this business…
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_24266547/fran-tarkenton-vikings-josh-freeman-could-be-3?source=rss_viewed
October 9th, 2013 at 11:54 am
Sure, sure, EVERYONE said fourth or fifth….or maybe they didn’t. One report says Kiper had him as the second QB off the board. Opinions are like….
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2013/4/9/4204192/2013-nfl-mock-draft-mike-glennon-to-new-york-jets
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1630353/mike-glennon
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/mock-drafts/josh-norris/165101
http://www.kffl.com/a.php/133128/
http://nflsfuture.com/2012/10/16/2013-nfl-draft-quarterback-rankings/
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/mock-drafts/bucky-brooks/160100
October 9th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
@tim and eric. If you can’t be a Buc Fan than get the hell out of here. Did you root for Boston last night also? This blog is for people who want to see the Bucs win no matter who the coach, Gm, owner or QB is. Yes you have railed at them all. If you love Freeman so much I dare you to buy his new jersey and wear it to Raymond James. OK, now it’s your time to slam me but remember ,” A hit big dog always hollers “.
October 9th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Oil Derrick,
But none of those guys that did those mock drafts are as smart as Capt. Tim! You should know that by now.
October 9th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Check this out-from Minn.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/227001281.html
October 9th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
@Capt. Tim….so what is your definition of ‘everybody’??
October 9th, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Beaker has a hot girlfriend.
October 9th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
Oil Derrick Brooks …wow you silenced the Capt.
October 9th, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Freefall sucked under both head coaches and all coaching staff. Plain and simple: the guy sucks. Leave the coaches out of it.
October 9th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
WOW what a shock….. Joe has written another Josh Freeman story SMDH
October 9th, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Doesn’t mean you wipe why he failed from the memory card. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. It is a very important story. If Freeman was not coached up, how can anyone expect Glennon to be coached up? Or potentially another high pick of a quarterback next year?
The same guys who are partially to blame for Freeman’s failures are still employed by the Bucs. That is why this story has legs.
October 9th, 2013 at 1:26 pm
ENOUGH!
You accuse any NFL player on this site with drug usage, you sure as hell better provide Joe will foolproof evidence before posting or you will get banned (players who have tested positive are fair game. That’s evidence). Joe’s had it. Joe is legally responsible for things on this site. He’s not losing his business over some a-hole.
It just amazes Joe to no end so many people claim they saw Freeman (fill in the blank) yet no one has a photo or video. No one. If there was any, it would have been all over the internet by now.
October 9th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
Coaching is partially to blame, clearly. As Joe has stated before, Freeman wrecked Freeman. Bad coaching sure as hell didn’t help.
October 9th, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Tarkenton hasn’t changed his opinion of Freeman.
October 9th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
if I were in line to make $20 million a year, I would sure as heck work on my own mechanics if they were an issue. I suspect his qb coaches tried to address it but he wouldn’t or couldn’t respond so they dropped the issue.
October 9th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
“I suspect his qb coaches tried to address it but he wouldn’t or couldn’t respond so they dropped the issue.”
Or, perhaps’ they really wern’t concerned with them, like they publicly stated. I could see just dropping the subject, or stating ‘we’re working on that’ but what they said makes THEM look stupid, not Free.
October 9th, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Didn’t play like a guy who was having much fun in this offense or on this team. Pretty hard to excel when you don’t like your job. In the end, he got out – just like he wanted. Maybe he’ll be happier in Minn. We’ll see.