Buccaneers Not Joshin': Freeman's Your Starter

His time has come.

No need to mess around any more with Byron or J.J. or anyone else.

It's time to put him on the field.

Raheem Morris has finally put his beat-up range balls back in the bag and has pulled out that sparkling new Titleist Pro-V1.

The Josh Freeman era begins next week. It begins at home against the Green Bay Packers and it begins in the old-era creamsicle orange uniforms that hung on the winless 1976 Buccaneers of the late John McKay.

"It's time for him (Freeman) to come in there and join his team and lead us," said Morris, fearless leader of this 0-7 team.

It is a self-fulfilling prophesy, one that surprises no one.

With no wins, why keep the No. 1 pick under wraps?

You have to find out if the kid can play sooner or later, and sooner will be in 11 days.

Morris let the world know of his decision after Wednesday's practice session.

"He's going out there and it's going to help him," Morris said.

Tampa got a quick preview in the waning minutes of the New England fiasco in London last Sunday.

Freeman snapped off a couple of completions but then had a fumble and was sacked.

No doubt, he'll get the full business from Green Bay.

But it is his time, his place, his team.

Morris and GM Mark Dominik have bet the franchise future on Freeman, and their individual futures along with it.