Bucs Have A Quarterback Quandry, ESPN Has Alliteration

ESPN.com focused their attention on the Buccaneers when they did an article about teams with issues at quarterback. It started out nice, though.

In terms of numbers and experience, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have the NFL's best quarterback situation, with access to five guys who have started at one point during their pro careers.

Hey, not bad.

But look more closely at the situation before you finish the math.

Whoa! Didn't see that coming. See how they switched it up on us? It's like they hit me in the face with a bat (note: please do not hit me in the face with a bat to test this comparison.)

They go on to say that despite the experience on the roster, the backup positions behind Jeff Garcia are unstable to say the least. And they're right, of course. What's their answer?

The answer probably is not on the current roster, which is why the Bucs must look long and hard for a more youthful alternative in a free-agency class that is slim and a draft class that is led by Boston College's Matt Ryan, Louisville's Brian Brohm, Delaware's Joe Flacco, Michigan's Chad Henne and Kentucky's Andre' Woodson.

Way to go out on a limb there. It's pretty easy to recommend that the solution to a depth problem is to draft one of the top players at the position that year. The truth is that this is not the year to draft a quarterback high, and I'm not sure that year will ever come with Jon Gruden at the helm, although the arrival of Greg Olson might change my mind on that as the season progresses. There are more pressing needs to use that first pick on than quarterback. Wide receiver, cornerback and defensive tackle come to mind immediately.

Flacco looked good at the Senior Bowl and could be a bargain if he falls to the Bucs' in the second round. He reminds me of Brett Favre with his quick throwing motion and nice deep ball and the way he bounces up regardless of how hard he's hit. Third round is a no-brainer for him, but I'm pretty sure he'll be gone by then. But what can Gruden and Olson do with him if they get him? Gruden didn't get real far with Chris Simms or Bruce Gradkowski with Paul Hackett as the quarterbacks coach. Deep down, I'd still like to see the Bucs have a real franchise quarterback that they draft and keep for twelve years or so. The problem is that if he gives one a chance to be the starter and he has some growing pains, Buccaneer fans start calling for Gruden's job because they're losing games. Then he has to put a veteran Band-Aid on the problem to patch things up long enough for him to feel better about his job security again -- and then he's right back where he started. Maybe the problem isn't Gruden's teaching abilities at all. Maybe the fans' impatience is what keeps putting old guys behind center.