Mike Glennon, whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, is slotted as the team's backup, according to head coach Greg Schiano. While Glennon isn't settling, the Bucs already have a proven starter in Josh Freeman.
NFL Draft 2013: Mike Glennon slated as Buccaneers back-up QB
Tampa Bay selected Mike Glennon in the 2013 NFL Draft, but Josh Freeman is still locked in to the team’s starting quarterback role.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
“I think that’s hard with any rookie quarterback,” said Head Coach Greg Schiano. “It’s going to be a matter of how fast he grasps our system and all those things. And the fact of the matter is, we have a starting quarterback.”
Glennon led ACC quarterbacks last season, passing for 4,031 yards, an average of 310.1 yards per game. He completed 58.5 percent of his passes and threw for 31 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. His yardage greatly improved over 2011, when Glennon completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 3,054 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He spent the 2009 and '10 seasons as Russell Wilson's backup, before Wilson transferred to Wisconsin.
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While Glennon and Wilson both led the Wolfpack offense, that's not the only thing they have in common. They were both third-round picks in the draft -- the Seattle Seahawks selected Wilson in 2012, and he, too, was slated as a backup. But Wilson beat out Matt Flynn for the starting job in Seattle, and he threw for 3,118 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance.
Glennon hopes he can replicate Wilson’s success, and he plans on seeking advice from his old friend:
“He texted me the other day wishing me luck and I said I would like to give him a call and see how he handled things, and he’ll be more than willing to do that,” said Glennon of Wilson. “I’m sure I’ll kind of have a list of things I want to take away from him and I’m sure he’ll be a big help.”
Glennon (6’6, 220 pounds) may have better physical attributes than Wilson (5’11, 206 pounds), but winning the starting job for the Bucs will be more difficult than it was in Seattle. Wilson was facing off against Flynn, who was a new addition and had never been a team’s preferred starter. Glennon is behind Freeman, Tampa Bay’s starter since the middle of the 2009 season. Last year, threw for 4,065 yards 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, and he’s thrown for 12,963 yards, 78 scores and 63 picks in a Buccaneers uniform.
In addition to Freeman and Glennon, Tampa Bay has quarterback Dan Orlovsky on its roster. He threw just seven passes last season and should fall into the third-string spot.
Glennon may not be the starter, but Schiano has full faith in Tampa Bay’s newest QB addition:
“He fits the things we’re trying to do - run the football, play-action pass, throw the ball down the field like we did this past season. You always want to be able to do that. God forbid something were to happen to Josh, you want to be able to continue with your offensive philosophy if you can. You can’t always do that.”
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