BY ROY CUMMINGS
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – Free agent quarterback Donovan McNabb says there are three teams he believes he could “add a little flavor to’’ and would be interested in playing for next season.

The Bucs should be hoping they’re one of them.

Though McNabb no doubt has his eyes fixed on teams without an established starter, he is just the kind of quarterback the Bucs need behind their designated starter, Josh Freeman.

With 13 years of experience and a build and style of play that is a virtual match with Freeman’s, McNabb could be an ideal mentor for the Bucs franchise cornerstone.

As long as he’s willing to mentor.

That’s what the Bucs would have to find out. If McNabb is only interested in starting and has no interest in putting on a coach’s hat and passing on his wealth of knowledge, then he’s probably not what the Bucs need.

If he is, though, then McNabb is a worth considering.

Freeman struggled in part last year because he had no one with regular game-day experience to turn to when his game went off the rails. McNabb would certainly give him that.

He also might discover some as yet undetected weapons in Freeman’s game. After all, like Freeman, McNabb is, or at least was, a big, mobile, strong-armed quarterback with a penchant for making plays with his legs.

And it’s not like McNabb is done. His 60-plus completion percentage and 82.9 passer rating with the Vikings last year is a sign he can still play at a winning level.

That’s another thing the Bucs need in their backup. They went without Freeman in one game last year and the results were not good. Someone who can keep them competitive should Freeman go down is a must.

So, if it’s really all about No. 5 - and there’s no reason to believe that hasn’t changed - it’s worth a call to see if another No. 5 has the Bucs on his list of target teams or would consider adding them to the list.