It’s only two days after the draft and we already have our first quarterback controversy of the year broiling in Tampa Bay.

Bucs head coach Raheem Morris spent this morning doing his best to put the fire his new QB Josh Freeman started unintentially with this statement in an NFL.com draft chat:

“I felt that all along,” he wrote. “Even when they picked up Byron Leftwich. It was something they told me — they told me it was a smokescreen, everybody would think they didn’t want a QB. They said they were ready to trade up. I think it worked out great. I was sitting there with my family and enjoying it, and I got to go to the team that I wanted to go to.”

Joe Smith (St. Petersburg Times) spoke with Morris today and got this quote in response to the possibility of a controversy in Tampa with his quarterbacks:

“We talked about that (Sunday) morning,” Morris said. “Sometimes quotes are taken out of context. The young man was asked the question and he kind of answered it the wrong way.”

“Hey, Leftwich called him this morning and told him he’s going to put him in a headlock when he gets down here and then after that he’s going to put him under his wing and get him ready to go. So, they talked on the phone this morning and I think we’re okay.”

Freeman is projected to start the season on the bench in Tampa Bay, and eventually transition into the starting role when Morris and the rest of the Buccaneers coaching staff feels he is ready. He was selected #17 overall after the Bucs traded up with Cleveland to select him.

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