The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to be ecstatic with their young QBs
23-year old Josh Freeman took his game to a new level last season with the Buccaneers. Freeman played in 16 games for the Bucs last season and he completed 291 of 474 passes (61.4%) for 3,451 yards with 25 TD passes and 6 interceptions (95.9 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 68 times for 364 yards (5.4 ypc) last season. Freeman has now played in 26 games in his first two seasons in the NFL with the Bucs and he has completed 449 of 764 passes (58.8%) for 5,306 yards with 35 TD passes and 24 INTs (82.2 QB Rating). Freeman also has carried the ball 98 times for 525 yards (5.4 ypc) so far in his career. He has a unlimited upside!
24-year old Josh Johnson ran the Bucs’ version of the Wildcat Formation last year. He played in 7 games for the Bucs last season in which he completed 14 of 16 passes (87.5%) for 111 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (95.6 QB Rating). He also carried the ball 4 times for 39 yards (9.8 ypc) last season. Johnson has now played in 13 games in his NFL career and he has completed 77 of 141 passes (54.6%) for 796 yards with 4 TD passes and 8 INTs (56.9 QB Rating). Johnson has also carried the ball 26 times for 187 yards (7.2 ypc) in his NFL career. Rumors abound that the 49ers are going to try to deal for Johnson, because Jim Harbaugh (the Niners’ new head coach) coached Johnson in college at San Diego.
VERDICT: The Bucs are set at QB for the foreseeable future with Freeman & Johnson at QB.
