The Inside Buccaneer Info From Morris, Dominik and Freeman

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris, general manager Mark Dominik, and first-round draft pick Josh Freeman spoke on WDAE 620 sports radio after Wednesday's final mini camp practice. Here's a sampling of what these team insiders had to say:

Raheem Morris was excited after his team's final mini camp practice on Wednesday. He called off Thursday's field work and opted to take the team for a paintball challenge, but he sounds as excited as he was when he was named the team's head coach.

"I've been excited," he confirmed. "We have positional battles everywhere. Obviously at quarterback. All those guys are working their butts off. We have all the untested linebackers: Crowell (Angelo), Hayes (Geno), Black (Quincy) and of course Jermaine Phillips moving to linebacker. We have young defensive linemen who will fight for playing time. Who's our third wideout? Who knows?

Raheem was on a roll. He talks fast and with enthusiasm.

"We're looking at situational football. We look for situational players. Who are the role players? Who is our Michael Jordan? Who wants to make that big play?"

Notice that Raheem is also asking questions.

The biggest question is the surprise story of Josh Freeman's progress and the talk that he could be in the battle for the starting job when camp opens August 1.

"I never wanted to say these things weren't anticipated," Morris explained. "If they weren't then he wouldn't have been the player we thought he is when we drafted him. He has pushed the envelope. He's not the guy yet. He's a confident young man, he's sure of himself!

"If we didn't anticipate it," Morris continued, "then it would be us saying he's not a good player. He has a good position coach, Greg Olson. "In short, just let the guy keep playing. I'm gonna play the best one. I'm not giving anyone anything!"

Think Morris is sold on Freeman?

Understatement.

Morris went on to say the defense will have a bigger package than in the past. He said he was glad linebacker Barrett Ruud was there.

"We could tell the whole team missed him,"  Morris said of his linebacker's absence from previous OTAs.

Morris also announced a new program for training camp.

"We'll go 2-1-2-1-2-1, meaning when we have two practices a day, we'll follow it with only one the next day. I want to give this group proper rest. We'll take away from volume and add quality."

Quality is something they'll need.

Quality is what they think they have in Freeman and following Morris, Freeman spoke up with his thoughts.

"I've impressed myself," he said matter-of-factly. "The older guys Byron (Leftwich), McCown (Luke) and JJ (Josh Johnson) have helped tremendously. They're all great guys."

Listen to Freeman, and you can sense his motivation.

"A lot of people felt the Bucs should have gone in a different direction (in the draft). People don't know me. You can only get so much about a person looking at film. They (Morris and Dominik) know what kind of worker I am. This is exactly where I want to be."

Freeman said he has also benefited greatly from the presence of Doug Williams, the former great quarterback who is now in the front office for the Bucs.

"He's (Doug) been huge! Almost like a father figure. He's been at every practice and has spent a lot of time with me," Freeman revealed.

The only thing that remains is to get Freeman under contract.

"I ask (my agent) what's going on? I wanna be signed before camp. I wanna play. Being the best player is number one in my mind."

Confident? For sure.

GM Dominik says he's excited at the attendance at mini camp. Only lineman Arron Sears and quarterback Brian Griese were missing.

He was particularly pleased that Ruud was there.

"Barrett—football is very important to him," is all that Dominik said about the player seeking a contract extension.

Dominik says he's also excited about having training camp back in Tampa at One Buc Place.

He also says wide receiver Plaxico Burress is a non-issue.

"Not worth talking about," he said. "I believe with his problems, Raheem (Morris) was correct when he referred to Burress as 'a ghost.'"

Other than that, no great revelations from Dominik.

It is now roughly six weeks to camp.

It goes slowly for fans but fast for the players.