The Buccaneers will be without starting QB Josh Freeman for at least the rest of the pre-season due to a fractured tip of his right thumb.  Freeman was looking good in the pre-season for the Bucs.  In the Bucs first two pre-season games, Freeman completed 6 of 8 passes (75%) for 74 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs (142.7 QB Rating).  The Bucs hope that Freeman is ready to go on Opening Day against the Cleveland Browns in Tampa.  They think he will improve on the numbers he put up as a rookie in 2009.  Freeman played in 10 games (9 starts) for the Bucs last year and he completed 158 of 290 passes (54.5%) for 1,855 yards with 10 TD passes and 18 INTs (59.8 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 30 times for 161 yards (5.4 ypc) as a rookie last year.  The Bucs need Freeman to have a speedy recovery because the dropoff to the backups appears pretty big.

The Buccaneers didn’t play too well on Saturday Night despite winning this game.  Josh Freeman completed 2 of 4 passes for 21 yards before leaving the game with a fractured tip of his right thumb.  Joe Johnson followed Freeman in the game and he has solid in completing 6 of 10 passes for 113 yards with 1 TD pass.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 10 yards (3.3 ypc) in this game.  Rudy Carpenter looked solid at QB too for the Bucs as he completed 8 of 11 passes for 79 yards with 1 TD pass.  Kareem Huggins led the way on the ground for the Bucs in this game as he carried the ball 8 times for 44 yards (5.5 ypc).  Carlos Brown also had a solid game pitching in with 32 yards rushing on 5 carries (6.3 ypc).  WRs Michael Spurlock (3 rec, 75 yards, TD), Mike Williams (3 rec, 44 yards) and Terrence Nunn (1 rec, 5 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Bucs last Saturday.  The Buccaneers finished up with 99 yards rushing (3.8 ypc) and 213 passing yards in this game.

The Bucs’ D gave up a lot of yards in this game but they kept tightening up the closer the ball got to the end zone.  Linebacker Quincy Black led the way for the Bucs’ D in this game with 6 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack and 1 QB hit.  Rookie 7th round pick (S) Cody Grimm (5 tackles), S Corey Lynch (5 tackles, 1 pass defensed) and S Tanard Jackson (5 tackles) all pitched in.  CB Brandon Anderson of Akron University (that’s where I went to school) had a good game for the Bucs Saturday Night with 4 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 INT.  The Chiefs rushed for 152 yards (4.5 ypc) and they passed for 214 yards in this game.

The Buccaneers’ offense looked stuck in the mud on Saturday Night as they turned the ball over 4 times.  They did look good with Josh Freeman under center though as he completed 4 of 4 passes for 53 yards with 1 TD pass.  Joe Johnson didn’t look near as good as Freeman did.  He completed 8 of 13 passes for 72 yards with 1 INT.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 17 yards (8.5 ypc) but he also lost a fumble too.  Rudy Carpenter finished up the game at QB by completing 6 of 12 passes for 72 yards.  RB Kareem Huggins led the way on the ground for the Bucs last night with 8 carries for 55 yards (6.9 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 16 yards.   Derrick Ward had a rough time Saturday night with 20 yards on 12 carries (1.7 ypc) and he also lost a fumble.  Chris Brooks (3 rec, 50 yards, LF) and Sammie Stroughter (3 rec, 33 yards, TD) helped out in the passing game Saturday night.  The Buccaneers finished up with 139 yards rushing (4.2 ypc) and they also passed for 170 yards on Saturday night.

The defense was outstanding for the Bucs in this game.  Safety Corey Lynch (5 tackles and 1 pass defensed) and CB E.J. Biggers (4 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 fumble recovery) each looked sharp in this game.  The Dolphins finished up with 50 yards rushing (2.4 ypc) and they also passed for 156 yards on Saturday night.

25-year old RB Clifton Smith and 24-year old WR Sammie Stroughter will duke it out for the starting kickoff return job in training camp.  Smith has had concussion problems in the past but he’s a go for this year.  Smith played in 11 games for the Bucs last season and he returned 31 kickoffs for 902 yards (29.1 avg).  He has now played in 20 games for the Bucs and he has returned 67 kickoffs for 1,894 yards (28.3 avg) with 1 TD return.  Smith is a excellent return man and I think he will get his old job back if healthy.

Sammie Stroughter stepped in for Smith when he got injured.  Stroughter played in 13 games as a rookie for the Bucs last season and he returned 11 kickoffs for 324 yards 29.7 avg) with 1 TD return.  Despite his success returning kicks he might be more important to the Bucs on offense in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR  THE BUCCANEERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  A

LT Donald Penn is a improving player as he’s a decent pass and run blocker.  LG Jeremy Zuttah also brings a lot of power in the running game but he could improve a tad in pass blocking.  Center Jeff Faine is one of the better technicians at center in the league.  But he can also get blown up and knocked backwards by big time power players in the middle.  RG Davin Joseph is by far the best run blocker on the Bucs as he plays with a very nasty attitude.  RT Jeremy Trueblood is a high strung player who commits too many penalties but he still has a nice upside.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BUCCANEERS O-LINE in 2010:  B