Tampa Bay Buccaneers Want Josh Johnson to Be Zeke, Earl, and Jim

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris wants Josh Johnson to become Avis —forever.

Raheem wants JJ to be Zeke Bratkowski, Earl Morrall and Jim Sorgi. Remember them?

Bratkowski was the lifelong backup to Bart Starr in Green Bay. Morrall had Bob Griese's back in Miami and Sorgi holds a clipboard while he watches Peyton Manning set passing records.

Morris spoke about JJ to Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times:

"I talked about him (Johnson) being my Jason Garrett, my career backup...."

Thanks a lot Raheem, you sure know how to make a guy feel good!

Johnson, well, he just kinda Joshed it off:

"Come one, you know how Raheem is..." 

Sure we know how Raheem is—he's already so very over-protective of his No. 1 pick, Josh Freeman. So much in fact, that Freeman was put into the second spot on the depth chart behind starter Byron Leftwich, then on game day, suddenly he was inactive as the "third" quarterback.

What's up with that Rah?

Sounds like a hacker in golf who's afraid to hit that new Titleist Pro-V1 into the woods, so he keeps it in his bag and only uses it for putting.

Which begs the question: How is Josh Freeman progressing?

Probably not well.

First exhibit is that the man charged with mentoring him, Greg Olsen, is no longer the quarterback coach. He's the offensive coordinator.

So who's the quarterback coach?

Right now, there isn't one.

So what's Freeman doing, watching film and eating popcorn and yucking it up with Morris?

Yes, there's Freeman, who Morris regards as his "Hertz."

Then there's good old "Avis"—Josh Johnson.

Perhaps, just perhaps, JJ can try harder.