Pimping ASJ
July 30th, 2015
Noted NFL analyst is high on ASJ.
Joe is willing to give mulligans to a couple of Bucs rookies who didn’t exactly live up to their billing in 2014.
One is Charles Sims. The guy started the year with a bum wheel and it sure looked as if Sims was forced into the lineup to try to prove a point, and maybe it was way too premature.
Joe is sure ankle surgery right before the season started stunted his development.
So Joe is willing to give unimpressive Sims a pass. Another injury-plagued guy was tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who had a bad ankle sprain on opening day. However, in the case of ASJ, he showed flashes that he could be special.
Another guy who expects big things from ASJ is none other than Rotworld.com NFL analyst Evan Silva, who believes ASJ could really bowl up.
As is typically the case with rookie tight ends, Austin Seferian-Jenkins endured a rough NFL debut. A college foot injury continued to haunt ASJ into November, before a back injury sent him to I.R. a month later. Lasting only nine games, Seferian-Jenkins finished with 21 receptions and two scores. Seferian-Jenkins was one of the players new OC Dirk Koetter talked up immediately after taking the Bucs’ job, and Koetter’s history indeed bodes well for ASJ’s chances at a bigger role. As a coordinator, Koetter oversaw two top-four tight end seasons from late-career Tony Gonzalez in Atlanta, after Marcedes Lewis turned in a 10-touchdown year for Koetter’s 2010 Jaguars. More importantly, 22-year-old Seferian-Jenkins (6’6/262) is a mammoth red-zone presence with better-than-advertised athleticism when healthy.
That’s the thing: Koetter was known for getting a lot of play from his tight ends. Of course, it helps to have a Hall of Famer like Tony Gonzalez.
Still, a healthy ASJ with a proven, competent offensive coordinator and having “America’s Quarterback” throwing him the ball, Joe expects a fine sophomore season from ASJ.
If he stays out of the hot tub.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:13 am
Dunkaneers!!!
July 30th, 2015 at 8:29 am
What did Father Dungy say your best “ability” is?
July 30th, 2015 at 8:36 am
Did you just say Koetter is known for getting a lot of play from his tight ends? So I guess the title of this post is correct then.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:51 am
Notice how all the accolades and predictions for ASJ are typically precededby the always-present disclaimer:
“IF HEALTHY”
July 30th, 2015 at 9:39 am
Sims and ASJ, two high picks, time to heal up and show you are worth your lofty draft status. ASJ rides the most hype from all circles, Sims get’s more criticism. I like both players, under Koetter’s playbook I expect both to exceed their rookie production.
July 30th, 2015 at 9:39 am
it seems like being an explosive TE and being constantly hurt go hand in hand. Jimmy Graham is always playing through something. Julius Thomas has been healthy a little over 2 seasons in his 5 year career. Antonio Gates has constant foot\ankle issues. It just seems like if you’re a freakish mismatch at TE with that basketball body type, your team shouldn’t count on you to play 16 games a season
July 30th, 2015 at 9:49 am
America’s Dunkaneers!
July 30th, 2015 at 10:12 am
The two tight end packages of Wright and ASJ could be lethal. I’m not saying ASJ is Gronk but the Gronk and Hernandez combo was unstoppable.
July 30th, 2015 at 10:13 am
So what’s the update on his foot? Is he 100% or is this going to be a Carl nicks thing
July 30th, 2015 at 11:23 am
I hope ASJ can stay healthy and live up to his high draft status. There were a lot of good players available at the top of the 2nd round when we took him. He definitely showed flashes last year though.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:31 am
ASJ and Tim Wright lined up outside the tackles with Evans and VJax at wideouts and Simms vacating the backfield at the last second to line up in the slot sounds like a DC’s nightmare to try and defend against.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:53 am
Pick that chit would be devastating.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:58 am
I live in Orlando so I don’t have any inside connect to one buc place but my senses tell me that Koetter requested Wright’s services specifically for this reason bro. This package will be a problem for defenses man.
July 30th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Charmin Man = Waste
July 30th, 2015 at 1:04 pm
@Nole on Sat
This package will be a problem for defenses man.
Indeed given the height of three of those receivers and the speed and mobility of the other two.
They could try exotic blitzes in the hope that Fameis can’t pick up the hot read and unload the ball quickly.
Somehow with Koetter as his OC…time in the virtual trainer to recognize and read these defensive GAMBLES…four preseason games…Fameis and Koetter will figure out pretty quickly where to go with the football.
July 30th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
That’s a good package to run draw plays out of as well after you have shown it and passed out of it a couple times already. Sims lines up in the slot initially then shifts to the backfield. Bring one of the tight ends in motion to the side you want to run towards – Jameis takes a 5 step drop with eyes downfield – then hands it off to Sims who finds the inevitable opening and gets into the secondary.
July 30th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
I’m not feeling it with this guy. I’m not getting a good vibe from him. He’s an “Airport Tight End.” That means if you saw him walking through the airport you’d probably guess he played tight end, but that’s about it.
Let me just say if he lights it up (because so many Bucs do that after dismal first seasons where their most memorable moments are an inopportune fumble and a ridiculous penalty for celebration) I will be shocked beyond recognition.