Raheem Morris is keeping his options open on Tampa Bay's starting quarterback.

The first-year coach has been promising a decision before the third preseason game, but raised the possibility Sunday the competition between Byron Leftwich and Luke Mccown could be extended another week.

Neither player has established himself as the clear-cut No. 1, although Leftwich appeared to be the front-runner before McCown played well in Saturday night's 24-23 preseason victory at Jacksonville.

"We've still got to meet and evaluate," Morris said, adding that first-round draft pick Josh Freeman and second-year pro Josh Johnson also have contributed to making it tough to settle the quarterback situation before Thursday's game against Miami.

For the past several days, and seemingly for the past couple of weeks, there's been an assumption in these parts that the Buccaneers will address their quarterback situation in a predictable way. That is, that Byron Leftwich, the apparent leader in the starting race, will be No. 1, followed by Luke Mccown and first-round pick Josh Freeman.

But it's becoming clear the Bucs are still considering their options, and everything remains on the table. Yes, Leftwich is the leader in the position battle and appears likely to win the job unless he takes a huge backward step Saturday night at Jacksonville. But beyond that, things might not necessarily go according to the script.

The key here is Josh Johnson. He has impressed coaches with his performance in his limited snaps during training camp, and he certainly did nothing to hurt his case to make the roster with his performance against the Titans last Saturday. It's enough to give coaches and the front office reason to pause when deciding his ultimate fate.

We know the Bucs have said they plan to keep just three of their four quarterbacks.

With Luke Mccown and Byron Leftwich battling for the starting job and Josh Freeman being the team’s first-round pick this year, Josh Johnson may be the odd man out as he has been getting fourth-string reps in practice.

“Honestly, I don’t see us [taking four quarterbacks],” Morris said. “I see ourselves keeping three, but I don’t want to rule anything out. Like I said before, I can only keep 53 [players]. If those four quarterbacks are the best guys on the unit, then I may have to break the rules. We’ve got to keep the guys on our team that we think will help us win.”

Tampa Bay inactives: WR Dexter Jackson, QB Josh Johnson, LB Rod
Wilson, T James Lee, WR Brian Clark, DE Patrick Chukwurah, DT Greg
Peterson and Brian Griese (#3 QB).

4for4 reports: Buccaneers inactives: QB Brian Griese (3rd),
WR Dexter Jackson, QB Josh Johnson, LB Matt McCoy, LB Rod
Wilson, T James Lee, LB Patrick Chukwurah and DT Greg
Peterson.

4for4 reports: Buccaneers inactives: QB Jeff Garcia, WR
Dexter Jackson, QB Josh Johnson (3rd), RB Noah Herron, LB
Matt McCoy, G Jeremy Zuttah, WR Joey Galloway and DT Chris
Hovan.

4for4 reports: Buccaneers inactives: QB Brian Griese, WR Dexter Jackson, QB Josh
Johnson (3rd), RB Noah Herron, DB Donte Nicholson, LB Matt McCoy,
T James Lee
and DT Greg Peterson.

4for4 reports: Buccaneers inactives: QB Josh Johnson (3rd), QB
Brian Griese, WR Dexter Jackson, SS Jermaine Phillips, RB Carnell
"Cadillac" Williams, T James Lee, TE Alex Smith and DT Greg
Peterson.

4for4 reports: Tampa inactives: QB Brian Griese, Dexter Jackson, Jermaine Phillips, RB Warrick Dunn, FB B.j. Askew,
Aaron Sears, WR Maurice Stovall and Josh Johnson is 3rd QB.

4for4 reports: Bucs inactives: WR Dexter Jackson, QB
Josh Johnson, RB Michael Bennett, FB B.j. Askew, T
James Lee, WR Maurice Stovall and DT Greg Peterson.
Brian Griese is the emergency quarterback behind Jeff Garcia and Luke Mccown.