Bruce Arians Explains Ryan Jensen-A.Q. Shipley Move
November 17th, 2020
Bucs center A.Q. Shipley bonds with Tom Brady
More details have emerged.
Bucco Bruce Arians spends a little TV time each week with Dangerous Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV.
During their recent postgame sitdown, the head coach opened up more on why he shifted Ryan Jensen to left guard and brought 34-year-old veteran center A.Q. Shipley off the bench to start in Sunday’s critical game at the Panthers. Jensen hadn’t played guard in years and Shipley hadn’t played all season.
“Just to get bigger, bigger and stronger in the middle,” Arians explained passionately. “[Backup guard] Joe Haeg gave us a heck of an effort against the Saints, but it was just, the best way to run the football is to get bigger and faster and strong in the middle. And experience, I think experience was a huge part [of the change to Shipley and Jensen].”
Interesting stuff from Arians, who also went out of the way to heap blame upon himself for getting away from the run too soon in the Saints beatdown nine days ago.
Joe will conclude that Haeg must have been really overmatched and Arians knew Shipley would hold up his end of the bargain while Jensen would be a major upgrade. Shipley started every game at center for Arians in Arizona during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Joe’s moral of the story is, ‘Get well soon, Ali Marpet!’
November 17th, 2020 at 4:01 pm
Ali Marpet is needed in the absolute worst way
November 17th, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Really I think it’s just easier to hide a weak center than a weak guard.
November 17th, 2020 at 4:20 pm
was a really smart move……..Shipley and Jensen looked very at home.
Marpet is a stud, but good to know we have options, hope to say the same at Tackle, but I doubt it.
November 17th, 2020 at 4:34 pm
Conte Piscateli Says:
November 17th, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Really I think it’s just easier to hide a weak center than a weak guard.
I agree!
November 17th, 2020 at 4:37 pm
That interior OL is UGLY!
November 17th, 2020 at 4:53 pm
I think that move was great as well. It may also serve two things 1 gives Marpet another week to get healthy so no need to rush him back 2. Shows Jensen that we have a capable center for next year so if he wants to stay his price can’t be crazy.
November 17th, 2020 at 4:54 pm
I’d take Jensen at guard over cappa and leave Shipley in when Ali is back.
November 17th, 2020 at 5:01 pm
There is something that I am not comfortable with Marpet’s concussion……I hope everything’s ok…… Somethig’s smell weird
November 17th, 2020 at 5:06 pm
I really do hope Ali is ok. Concussions are tricky 60% heal within two weeks, and 80% within four. I hope he didn’t suffer a complex concussion by staying in the game after getting his bell rung. That kind of injury can take 6-8 weeks or even months to recover from.
November 17th, 2020 at 5:21 pm
To bad he didn’t realize he had this better option before the Saints game.
November 17th, 2020 at 5:23 pm
Joe did you see the Rams are signing Matt Gay?
November 17th, 2020 at 5:34 pm
Joe Haeg: 298 lbs, A.Q. Shipley 307 lbs…. so, “bigger” means 9 pounds over 2 positions?
maybe he meant “better”, sorry to say
November 17th, 2020 at 5:45 pm
Haeg seems to work out very well in that extra-tackle formation
November 17th, 2020 at 5:57 pm
Who else noticed that JENSEN throws the key block to spring Rojo on the 98-yard TD run?
November 17th, 2020 at 5:59 pm
I cant find much on Marpets concussion in any news media. Agree with the comments above, very concerning.
November 17th, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Zz yes something smells wierd because it is wierd. Most guys that go into concussion protocol are fine after a few days. Its abnormal to see players miss multiple games/practice but it does happen. We had DT from the Bears a couple years back that had a bad concussion injury…….. Dont know much about concussions but im sure there are mild cases and severe ones. Marpets injury sounds to be more severe then most. I hope the big guy is OK.
November 17th, 2020 at 6:37 pm
Joe Haeg: 6’ 6”, 298
AQ Shipley: 6’ 1”, 307
Yes, only 9 pound difference, but better leverage for an inside guy.
November 17th, 2020 at 6:45 pm
Conte Piscateli Says
“Really I think it’s just easier to hide a weak center than a weak guard.”
I do not agree. A center can completely blow a play with the snap.
November 17th, 2020 at 6:47 pm
Everyone is overlooking how well we Ran the ball.
I think you are seeing the future.
Jensen CRUSHED IT at guard
Next year, Donovan Smith will ask for alot.
Meybe too much.
Cappa is a beast- and improving every Game.
Think Wirf has shown to much agility and ability to pancake guys, to stay at right tackle.
I think Cappa and Wirf will be your tackles, Wirf on the left.
Jensen was a great guard. Won EVERY inside fight.
Teamed with Marpet- we have Two great tackles, two great guards.
Draft a center
Voila! Improved line, and free up some cap room.
Brady has had problems with Jensens snaps.
We’ll see what happens
November 17th, 2020 at 7:02 pm
Joe in Michigan Says:
November 17th, 2020 at 6:37 pm
Joe Haeg: 6’ 6”, 298
AQ Shipley: 6’ 1”, 307
Yes, only 9 pound difference, but better leverage for an inside guy
___<<<<
You guys these are their LISTED weights, right? Rojo is listed 20 lbs less than he actually weighs. Also… Haeg is 6'6 and listed at under 300… though he might not. That is actually a fairly normal proportion for a guy 6'6. Shipley is 6'1…. very short for OL and listed over 300 lbs. He may weigh 320 for all we know. Consider this… he's 6'1, the same height as Alstott who was listed at 248…so he's 60 lbs LESS than Shipley. It looks quite a bit different when the guys are 6'1 and 6"6.
November 17th, 2020 at 7:07 pm
NFL forbids coaches from talking about concussions. Very surprised Arians has spoken about it as much as he has. So unless Ali or a teammate mentions something in a radio show, it is unlikely you will get more info than what Aris has or will offer in pressers.
November 17th, 2020 at 7:13 pm
The stars have aligned for the Bucs.
Brew Brees will now be out for a unspecified amount of time due to cracked ribs and a collapsed lung.
That means they have to use a backup QB.
There is now a good chance they lose some games.
We may have lost to them twice, but if they lose more total games, we still win the division, right?
November 17th, 2020 at 7:14 pm
Capt Tim
That’s some interesting food for thought on the OL. I do not disgree nor totally agree because of my own ignorance.
Your plan seems like a winner. I definitely want to spend a first round pick on one more OL…another stud to complete the line. Like most I was thinking tackle but your plan certainly has merit.
I think it hinges on one thing I’m unqualified to know. Can Wirfs play as well on the left side as he does on the right. Does he have some unique skill set that only works on the right? Hard for a lay person to see but I have read lots of stuff about guys going on which side and Donovan Smith for example claims he cannot play the right side. Of course many here believe he can play the left either.
My other question would be Jensen’s move to guard. Not that talent or skill is an issue but I thought I read one of the reasons he chose us is because Licht said he’d get to play center.
If Wirfs can play the left as well as he has the right as a rookie…he needs to move because he appears at this point to perhaps be generational. He is to the OL what Vea is to the DL. And I agree with you that Cappa might be a more natural tackle than guard anyway…move over one spot.
So do we draft a dominant guard or center?
November 17th, 2020 at 7:51 pm
Posey99, I agree. Jensen is a beast at guard and Shipley held his own last weekend. Think that personnel package would help our running game.
November 17th, 2020 at 8:11 pm
I know it isn’t done but wouldn’t it be great to play with 2 LGs……move Shipley to center……play 6 linemen…..give D Smith some help & run the $hit out of the ball.
November 17th, 2020 at 8:25 pm
That was a great move. But yes Joe, Ali Marpet needs to get healthy fast
November 17th, 2020 at 8:40 pm
@Capt. Tim
I like where your heads at. As always, very astute with your o-line break downs. Wirfs will definitely be moved to left tackle. If Cappa goes to right tackle, I would not be opposed to moving Marpet back to the right guard spot. Jensen at left guard. Good centers can be found in the 3rd+ round, or plug a veteran FA in there.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:06 pm
In a way I’m glad to they moved Jensen from center. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy; one of our great offensive player. But I don’t know if you guys noticed that (I dare say) 4 out of 5 times Jensen will throw Brady a bad snap. Whether low, high, left or right; but most of the times we can see Brady reaching for the futball someway. I believe that also had something to do with the move.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:22 pm
BA did not just say bigger.
“..get bigger and faster and strong in the middle. And experience,”
November 17th, 2020 at 9:23 pm
You guys don’t understand how height/weight ratios work? I’d expect a guy who is 5 inches taller to weigh at least 30 lbs more, at least. Haeg would be a lot ‘smaller’ and likely weaker.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:29 pm
It seems that the front office ( Jason Lite) is acquiring a new appreciation for quality big uglys , rather than the old school find them in the later rounds and coach them up …
November 17th, 2020 at 10:35 pm
AE………are you still in ‘perma-mod’ ?
November 18th, 2020 at 8:48 am
Yep
November 18th, 2020 at 12:15 pm
When Marpet comes back start him at RG where He used to play really well enough to be an All Pro. Cappa played Tackle in college; make him our RT. It is time now to let Wirfs play LT. Trade off lazy D. Smith to the highest bidder! Then we will have our best OL ever! D. Smith should be traded to a team wanting to try him at Guard, where Lindy’s projected to be his best position in their draft magazine when he became a Pro.
November 18th, 2020 at 12:35 pm
Trade deadline has come and gone.
You know, why not play Lavonte David at left tackle? He played tackle one game in high school. He can do it! I just know it!
(The best thing for Donovan Smith would be to have him wear “00,” and tape over his name on his jersey and people will quit trying to replace him with anyone’s name on the roster they can think of.)
Bucs could use some help at corner. Why not Tom Brady? Why not Mike Evans? Why not Chris Godwin? Why? WHY? WHY!?
WHY!?
November 18th, 2020 at 1:28 pm
Jensen, Shipley combo seemed to work out pretty good. Keep Marpet out till after the bye. Maybe by then they can also come up with a solution at LT that doesn’t include Mr. lazy ass Smith.
November 18th, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Dont expect any changes in the line, until the offseason, unless there are injuries.
But this offseason, Saving Money will be an issue.
I am a fan of Donovan Smith. He is an above average Left Tackle.
Left Tackles play some of the most elite athletes in the World.
You will get embarrassed occasionally.
Smith is above Average, and will need top dollar.
Wirfs is Elite. He can be the best Tackle in the game. Really!
And he is playing in his rookie contract.
Like everything, Money talks
Playing less for a better talent always always the NFL plan.
Especially with Jensen having trouble snapping, and proving to be a monster at Guard.
Cappa next to Jensen would be just NASTY.
November 23rd, 2020 at 11:46 pm
Only path I see to Super Bowl is winning wild card game vs the East, beating Packers again and beating Seattle in Championship game. If we play a team with any kind of pass rush, it’s over. Of course we have to make it to tournament first.