“Overrated”
July 21st, 2016
Prickly Pete wants more.
We have more lists! This time from the fingertips of prickly Pete Prisco of CBS Sports.
Prisco decided to choose the most overrated player on each NFL roster. And while Prisco believes tweety tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins has talent, the way Prisco writes about him is the only thing holding him back from being a true weapon is what lies between ASJ’s ears.
You see the talent, and you drool. So where’s the production? If this kid ever gets focused, he has a chance to be a talented, pass-catching tight end. He had 21 catches last season, but he averaged 16.1 yards on those catches, which is telling in terms of his ability. He got sent out of practice during OTAs by coach Dirk Koetter, which might be a wakeup call.
That’s the thing. Think of some of the plays ASJ has made (yes, there are some). What immediately springs to mind? That’s right: Numbskull, preening-schmo stunts. Yes, there’s the Captain Morgan pose (which ASJ proudly featured on his Instagram account) but Joe’s favorite (?) was when ASJ went all Bob Gibson in St. Louis and fastballed a football against a wall on national television after getting tackled short of the goal line. That likely cost the Bucs four points as they were trying to rally in the final minutes.
That’s what makes you remember ASJ: stunts. You can’t remember him for key plays or for touchdowns in a win (which has yet to happen in two years).
Unfortunately, you do remember ASJ for being hurt. A lot. He has only been available for half of the games played in his two years. That’s not good, but Joe does give ASJ a pass because he was hung out to dry last year by Lovie Smith conning reporters and fans that ASJ was nearly good to go, despite never being cleared by doctors for contact for much of the season.
(Those good old fashioned 1970s high school gamesmanship stunts always keeps the best of NFL coaches on their toes. Wonder if Lovie is going to have his Illinois players warm up before games wearing different uniform numbers to, you know, try to cross up Jim Harbaugh?)
This is a big season for ASJ. Will he finally harness all of that talent and become a true weapon (in victories), or will he continue to brand himself as a guy who never could pull it together, a guy who will forever be remembered for never tapping that loaded word called “potential?”
July 21st, 2016 at 7:27 am
I read somewhere that said ” to be overrated don’t you have to be rated first???”
I have a question Joe, all the time missed counts against ASJ87 as it should. But with Clinton McDonald CM98 has played in just 3 more games than ASJ87, is considered a strength on the team in the same amount of time on the team?????
July 21st, 2016 at 7:52 am
Its simple realist
Clinton Macdonald has made contributions when he played,is a good locker room presence and teammate. No question in my mind D lineman is a tough place to remain injury free.Now if ASJ was effective as Gronk then he would gain respect of teammates and fans.
July 21st, 2016 at 8:41 am
I guess it’s rerun season……seems like we’ve heard all of this before….several times…
July 21st, 2016 at 8:42 am
Good point Bob. ASJ has contributed ZERO. And I agree with Realist on this point; you have to be rated in the first place to be overrated!
I hope he can break out. The more weapons we have the better.
CALLING YOU OUT A-S-J!!!
July 21st, 2016 at 8:49 am
Easiest call for this team although Mike Clayton Evans deserves some votes based on expectations.
July 21st, 2016 at 8:53 am
In the past 2 years,
ASJ87 6TD’s 42Rec 559Yds played in 16 games of 32
CM98 5Sk 56Tkl 1Int played in 19 games of 32
So one has made contributions and is a “strength” and the other has contibuted “ZERO”??????????
July 21st, 2016 at 8:54 am
God I hate saying this…
…Realist is right.
ARGH!!!! That hurt.
Clinton Macdonald may play well when he is on the field, but it doesn’t do the team a lick of good if he’s at home nursing an injury…and when he’s doing that, he doesn’t have ANY presence on the locker room.
However, I will say this. The one thing Raheem actually contributed to this team as head coach is a simple phrase.
“I will tolerate you until I can replace you.”
Dirk Koetter has a great sense of who the best players are, and Jason Licht has that same instinct with the younger players.
July 21st, 2016 at 8:54 am
Always funny the so-called Bucs fans who root for players to fail. ASJ has been a great asset, when healthy. He has size, he has speed, but he hasn’t been on the field that much and he’s obviously in the coach’s dog house which makes me wonder if he’ll even make the team. ASJ is by far the most talented TE on the roster (yes people, the guy drafted in the 2nd round has more talent than the UDFA) and perhaps he finally puts it all together. TE’s are generally slow to develop and ASJ has shown great promise when on the field, he just has to do that more often.
July 21st, 2016 at 9:18 am
It’s kind of hard to compare different positions. So, lets just say for the sake of this conversation that in terms of statistics, they’re equal. In terms of expectations, there is ZERO (I couldn’t resist!) comparison.
July 21st, 2016 at 9:45 am
I’ll give ASJ a 50-50 shot at overcoming his hard wired spontaneous stunts. He may tone those incidents down, but lose them completely, I don’t think he has it in him.
July 21st, 2016 at 9:48 am
Really no way to compare the two other than the team player aspect since they play different positions.while ASJ has also contributed.He in no way has played up to his full potential.love to see that,because
Koetter offenses are Taylor made for TE’S .
July 21st, 2016 at 11:08 am
KENNY BELL!
BucRealist, BuccaneerBonzai, Buc1987 and I have the same total receptions as Mr production Kenny Bell…
When do we get our own 1 on 1 interview (quality time) with Casey Philips
#45yearoldvirginsexlivesmatter
July 21st, 2016 at 11:45 am
NUMBERS ….go crunch them! The only numbers that mean anything are in the win and loss colume!
July 21st, 2016 at 1:59 pm
My not so favorite ASJ moment is him high-stepping into the end zone while the Bucs were getting blown out.
July 21st, 2016 at 7:34 pm
We passed on so so so many good players to draft this guy.
Jason’s first draft….. C minus
July 21st, 2016 at 8:38 pm
We have better tight ends than ASJ. You’re not going to hit on every pick.
July 21st, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Kind of hard for Joe to call ASJ “great” when he’s never scored a TD in a win and hard-pressed to remember a play where he didn’t act like a knucklehead.
To Joe, the word “great” applies to Hall of Fame players. ASJ can’t even win a starting gig on his own team (yet).
July 21st, 2016 at 11:41 pm
McCoy is always hurt.