The Josh Freeman saga continues. To recap, the quarterback's year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has featured a denied contract extension, not getting the captain vote, three terrible games, a benching, drug accusations and now a pending trade. Tampa Bay cannot seem to get rid of Freeman fast enough. As the quarterback now faces questions of his off-the-field behavior, the Buccaneers are calling every NFL team for a deal.
Ed Werder of ESPN reports the Buccaneers have been desperately seeking a trade of Freeman. If the quarterback remains on the roster for the remainder of the year, he will be owed over $6 million in the final year of his rookie contract. Tampa Bay first attempted to get Freeman to waive his right to be paid so they could simply release him, but that is not happening. Nice try, Tampa. Now, ESPN reports the Buccaneers plan to call all 32 teams by the end of Tuesday to see if there is any interest in a deal.
The issue is not Freeman's ability on the field, but his contract. It appears there is not a team willing to take on the $6 million salary for a quarterback that may or may not be a starter in the league. Tampa Bay will likely accept just about anything in exchange for the quarterback. A late-round draft pick might be all that it takes to get rid of him.
Freeman's first three games of the 2013 season did little to help his value on the market. Is Freeman's struggles all his fault? Some blame can certainly be placed on head coach Greg Schiano. Rumors have been circling that most of the players are unhappy with his coaching methods. The two proved they cannot coexist on the same team. But the fact is, through three games, Freeman threw three interceptions and completed less than half of his passes.
While trade interest is extremely low, Freeman is seeking an out-right release from Tampa Bay. That would still allow him to receive his full salary. This comes off the heels of the supposed "smear campaign" Freeman believes Tampa is building against him after it was reported the quarterback is part of the NFL substance-abuse program. Freeman released a statement saying he takes Adderall to treat ADHD.
"It is a shame that when times have gotten tough, people have chosen to attack the character of others, rather than supporting each other," Freeman said, also adding in his statement that has "never tested positive for any illegal drugs or related substances."
Freeman's time in Tampa is done. The quarterback was inactive on Sunday and will likely remain that way for the remainder of the year. While the Buccaneers believe he is the best quarterback available, the chances a team takes on the salary is slim and Freeman will have to put up with the organization until he becomes a free agent.
