Josh Freeman was a captain for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. He was a captain, in fact, the last three seasons. The quarterback no longer is a captain.
Normally, we don't ascribe too much meaning toward the selection of captains, but this is rather odd. Freeman is the team's starting quarterback and he essentially had his captaincy taken away.
Coach Greg Schiano said Friday that players still look to Freeman as a leader. Schiano attributed the change to circumstance. Guard Davin Joseph was out all last season, and now he's back as a captain. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson is a strong leader and has been on the team longer now, so he got the nod as well.
It's hard to explain this away. Quarterbacks are supposed to be the leaders of the team. Freeman has been that guy for three years, and there are more questions now than ever about about his future in Tampa entering a contract season. This won't quiet those questions.
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