Monday morning Bucs head coach Greg Schiano gave his final press conference of the season, and with it came some interesting comments.
Although Tampa Bay finished the season at 7-9, Schiano said that the Bucs have taken "big steps" to change the culture, but it is not completely changed just yet.
With the changing of the culture came moves such as trading embattled cornerback Aqib Talib to the Patriots on November 1 after the former first round draft pick tested positive for a performance enhancing substance Talib said was Adderall and had to sit four games.
Now the Bucs are faced with the task of handling another player who has struggled off the the field. Eric Wright was one-third of the big free agent signing in March but in July was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles but charges were never filed.
Three weeks after Tampa Bay traded away Talib, Wright was also handed a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance and his Buccaneer future looks murky.
When asked about Wright, Schiano said very little, leaving the question of the sixth-year veteran answered.
"I can't tell you what his future is with the Bucs because that hasn't been determind yet."
One thing that has been determined is that Schiano believes in competition and evaluating going so far as to say that even he isn't "untouchable" in the evaluation process.
Part of that process will be evaluating fourth-year QB Josh Freeman, who Schiano admits had an "up and down year," but also added that Freeman broke "records all over the place."
Freeman signed a five-year extension worth $26 million in 2009 and after starting the season a revived quarterback, extension talks began to emerge. Since the Bucs slow decline, the extension talks have simmered after the former Kansas State Wildcat began to struggle, throwing a combined eight interceptions in Weeks 15 and 16.
If Schiano's belief in evaluation and competition holds true, Freeman may just end up with a veteran quarterback on his heels heading into mini-camp.






