Hurricane Josh continues to pick up momentum in Tampa.
Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer reported Tuesday on "Fox Football Daily" that Josh Freeman was asked not to attend the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' team meeting Tuesday. According to Glazer, Freeman was instructed to stay in the trainer's room instead.
Glazer subsequently tweeted that Freeman later approached teammates to tell them he wasn't late and had been instructed not to attend the meeting.
Bucs general manager Mark Dominik told the Tampa Bay Times a very different story, however. According to Dominik, Freeman was excused from the team meeting because coach Greg Schiano wanted to talk to him about the events of Monday.
"Because of all that happened Monday night, Greg wanted to meet with (Freeman)," Dominik said. "I excused him and told Josh hold tight until 8 a.m.
"Josh did everything else today," Dominik added. "He didn't miss anything. Coach wanted to talk to him about how we're going to move forward with him."
Whatever the reality, it continues to be an excruciatingly uncomfortable time for the 0-4 Bucs. Earlier in the day, Schiano denied he was behind Monday's leak of Freeman's Stage One status in the NFL's substance-abuse program. Freeman publicly hinted at his belief the confidential information was leaked from within.
"I really don't want to get into what Josh's thoughts are about how things got out," Schiano told reporters. "I know what I've done, and I'm 100 percent comfortable with my behavior. One hundred percent."
The Bucs would love to trade Freeman, but the quarterback's on-field struggles -- combined with the increasingly bizarre drama -- makes that nearly impossible. NFL Media analyst and former GM Charley Casserly shared his opinion on Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's "Around the League Live."
"I wouldn't have traded for him a week ago and I wouldn't trade for him now," Casserly said. "In college, I was concerned about his accuracy and his decision-making. I've seen those same issues with the Bucs.
"Now I'm concerned about work habits and all these other things but the bottom line is: I wasn't sold on him out of college, I haven't see the performance now on the field, those are the reasons I wouldn't take him, I don't need to hear the rest of the stuff, he hasn't sold me on the field."
The "Around The League Podcast" reviewed every Week 4 game. Click here to listen and subscribe.
