“Can You Do Some Extra?”
May 12th, 2015
Josh Freeman was gifted a reliable, sure-handed and extremely talented tight end when he was a rookie.
Say what you want about Sgt. Vaseline, but Kellen Winslow never missed a game in a Bucs uniform, caught 70+ balls a year and was a key factor in Freeman developing into a borderline superstar in 2010, at just 22 years old.
That brings Joe to young Jameis Winston. Will the Buccaneers provide their franchise quarterback with the same type of weapon?
The only guy to fill that role is second-year tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He’s the manbeast athlete, a Dunkaneer who couldn’t stay healthy last year.
Yesterday, Seferian-Jenkins told Joe and other media that he will, in fact, stay healthy in 2015. And he’s learned about caring for his body outside of One Buc Palace.
“You can do the stuff at the facility; everyone does stuff at the facility. But when you leave, can you do some extra? Extra stretching, extra exercises, different, you know, get yourself a machine that helps you recover in your legs,” Seferian-Jenkins said. “Different little things you can do to get that little more advantage so you can recover a little more for the next day. And I think taking advantage of that in the offseason, I’ve learned. I have great veterans like Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins that have helped me and put me on the right track.”
Hearing this left Joe feeling great and feeling nauseous.
It’s awesome that Seferian-Jenkins is learning early how to take care of his body in an extreme fashion. But it’s troubling that a 22-year-old is even thinking this way. Seferian-Jenkins entered minicamp coming off foot surgery. He then had a serious ankle sprain on opening day, followed by other issues, including a back problem that ended his season.
Seferian-Jenkins stands 6-5, 260 pounds. Joe’s always fearful for big young dudes with foot and back issues. They often become chronic problems. Former Bucs tight end Dave Moore expressed the same concerns on the Buccaneers Radio Network last year.
Watch all of Seferian-Jenkins’ media session below.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:08 am
@Joe talk about Freudian slip. Looks accurate to me.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:12 am
This isn’t a chicken or the egg argument. All players have to take care of their bodies, and the earlier they realize that the better.
So if your worried about his injury history that’s fine and completely fair. However had ASJ said something to the opposite effect (indicating that he’s NOT that focused on taking care of his body), you’d be all over him way worse (but with good reason in that case).
May 12th, 2015 at 11:12 am
As Cyndi Lauper once sang..”Money changes everything”. We’re talking millions and millions of dollars in a players career.
They come out of college young and invincible, didn’t all of us believe in our indestructibility at 22? I stupidly volunteered to go to a war zone. When you’re young you’re unafraid and alas sometimes stupid.
Young players come in now with agents who want their cut of those millions and then they are surrounded by the likes of VJAX and Mankins and they begin to learn their trade and exactly how to prolong those million dollar paychecks as long as possible. If anybody has credibility in prolonging a career it’s VJAX and Mankins.
I’m pleased that ASJ has learned so much in just one year.
BTW while I agree Winslow was a beast of a receiver there was a downside to his talent besides his monstrous ego. He was so into JFRO’s head that JFRO forced a lot of passes his way, frequently successfully because of Winslows ability to compete for the pass but all to frequently it was a wasted attempt and JFRO never got to depend enough on his other weapons.
I hope ASJ blows up but there is only one football. Fameis will have to spread it around a LOT this year.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:13 am
I thought J-fro 6 pack had no weapons???
May 12th, 2015 at 11:14 am
Micheal Spurlock, Maurice Stovall, Sammie Stroughter, Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn. if those are your receivers then kellen winslow is supposed to be your number 1 guy.
Vincent Jackson and mike evans….ASJ is a 3rd option all day long probably 4th depending on down and distance if the running back is as good at catching the ball out of the backfield as he seems
May 12th, 2015 at 11:18 am
Call his a$$ Charmin because he’s soft. I would take Ken Dilger over his a$$ any day.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:28 am
I don’t think winslow ever topped 1000 yards with the bucs
May 12th, 2015 at 11:33 am
Make a trade for martellus bennett te Bears.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:37 am
Off Topic:
But I’m gonna say it again.
A Young Secondary w/ the addition of (FS) D.J. Swearinger
Not A Bad Look At All Bruh
CB- Alterraun Verner | Brandon Dixon
FS- D.J. Swearinger | Chris Conte
SS- Bradley McDougald | Major Wright
SC- Sterling Moore | Leonard Johnson
CB- Johnthan Banks | Mike Jenkins
Pick’em Up Licht!!
May 12th, 2015 at 11:52 am
Looks like Joe started drinking before noon again. But I get the point.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:55 am
It says in the intro that Josh Freeman was a gifted “Tight End”.
“Josh Freeman was gifted a reliable, sure-handed and extremely talented tight end when he was a rookie.”
May 12th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
JD
Freeman was a tight-end as a rookie, but as the years went by it got bigger and bigger and bigger. HA!
May 12th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
Luv, not bad
May 12th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
Aside from taking bad angles, getting lots of costly penalties and having an overall bad team attitude. The reason the Texans cut him was because D.J. Swearinger feels that his status as a second round pick precluded him from playing on the special teams unit. He walked out of a S.T. meeting and said he won’t play it anymore.
Don’t get me wrong I loved the dude in College and I don’t mind a bit of attitude but I don’t want a cancer.
May 12th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
Lol. Time to move on from Freeman and his great hands
May 12th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
I hope ASJ can stay healthy, but I think he’s going to be one of those guys who’s always injured. I hope I’m wrong on this one.
May 12th, 2015 at 1:21 pm
This one area where I think coaches could take notes from Chip Kelly. He has specialized nutrition plans that were developed to keep his guys healthy, with enough strength and energy to push that up tempo for 60 minutes. I think nutrition is something many teams / athletes overlook far too often.
May 12th, 2015 at 1:36 pm
JD: Freeman “was gifted a … ” tight end. Not “was A gifted tight end”. As in, he had a talented TE at his disposal in his rookie year.
May 12th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
ASJ not only had injury problems, he was very inconsistent. If he can pick up his game it will give the rookie an outlet to throw to when he’s in trouble.
Lots of ‘growing up’ to do on this team!
May 12th, 2015 at 3:57 pm
a consistently healthy TE capable of dominating seems to be a contradiction. outside of tony gonzazalez, it’s been brutal – gronk, jimmy graham, antonio gates, julius thomas….16 game seasons just don’t happen often. i think that basketball body type is great for beating coverages, but not as good at taking the punishment of an NFL playmaker.
May 12th, 2015 at 4:07 pm
Ughh, Swearinger. Can’t cover, inconsistent in run support, big mouth, more trouble than he’s worth. Kyle Arrington, the CB, would be better at FS than SS Swearinger.
BTW, Joe, according to his official weigh-in and measuring at the Combine, ASJ measured at exactly 6′ 5.5″ So basically 6’6″. He was listed at 6’5 in his college program, and much like what typically happens, teams are too lazy to list actual measured heights and weights and instead rely on the inaccurate heights and weights from their college programs.
May 12th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
Come on, Joe. Fix the Freeman as rookie tight end thing. I’m unemployed, so if u need a proofreader, just holler back.
May 12th, 2015 at 5:14 pm
It’s pretty obvious that players are already tired of answering questions about Jameis. Media seems to forget that it’s still a team sport.
May 12th, 2015 at 6:40 pm
Brandon on point as usual. That dude isn’t that great and he has a poor attitude. We’d be much better off with Arrington as I said 2 days ago or was it yesterday?
The bucs need to hire me, pronto!
May 12th, 2015 at 9:28 pm
Luvmybucs- swearing ton at Free safety? If we are gonna keep playing “in the box” , no coverage skills Guys at Free safety- might as well bring back Barron and Goodson.
May 12th, 2015 at 10:12 pm
Kyle Arrington wasn’t ask back to camp this week was he? I noticed he wasn’t one of the four player they ask back. I don’t see him on their site and they already have Swearingter listed. I do like the fact that DJ plays with intensity and some serious attitude. I think he is a bit of a bad seed though. My Brother is on the board of trustees for the Texans and lives next door to the GM so I’m going to ask for some insight on this guy.
May 13th, 2015 at 1:00 am
Im looking forward to see what this guy has to offer the offense. He had a great college career and was recognized for being one of the best at his position coming up from high school, to college, to now. Hoping the guy stays injury free this year and proves a lot of doubters wrong.
May 13th, 2015 at 3:00 am
Talked to ASJ at the draft party, in Miller Lite VIP, along with Evans, I’m 6’6″, I’m an inch taller than Evans, could tell by standing next to him, and ASJ is easily 6’7, he is taller than me no question.