Ryan Jensen Skips Bucs’ 4 1/2 Day Trip To New Jersey
August 17th, 2023
Center Ryan Jensen
It’s well known that starting Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen hasn’t participated in 11-on-11 work in Bucs training camp and largely has been a spectator this summer.
But it seems the unlikelihood of Jensen playing Week 1 against Minnesota has reached a new level.
Jensen did not make Tuesday’s trip with his teammates to New Jersey. He did not attend the Bucs’ joint practice yesterday with the Jets, and he was not present at today’s Bucs-only practice at New York Giants headquarters.
A Bucs official advised JoeBucsFan.com that it was known early this week that Jensen wouldn’t practice or play this week, so there was little reason to have him travel with the club.
Joe gets the sentiment, but it’s certainly a giant red flag for a player who has shown incredible commitment to the team.
Jensen isn’t the guy you think of to raise his hand and say, “I’ll stay home.”
Head coach Todd Bowles has noted how an August road trip is fantastic for team bonding. Of course, an extended road trip includes Bucs offensive players in meetings to continue learning their new offense, studying film and more, and team trainers are along for the ride.
It’s easy to speculate reasons for Jensen’s absence. Is he taking time to see a specialist about his knee? Does he know he’ll be out for another month or two, so an August trip has little value?
Joe officially is writing off Jensen for Week 1 unless he hits the practice field in full pads with a full workload. As for the rest of the season, there’s still hope Jensen can get back on the field at some point.
Did Jensen have a setback in his recovery from an extensive knee injury in July 2022? If a guy plays a full playoff game in January like Jensen did, and then can’t practice in August and doesn’t travel with the team, it’s hard not to believe a serious hurdle or setback was encountered.
August 17th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
Has there been a setback since he suited up and played in the loss to the cowboys?
August 17th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
How much cap space does he free up if he retires?
August 17th, 2023 at 3:31 pm
Just don’t think he suits up again. Hainsey will be blown off the ball
August 17th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
This is very concerning and the fact that they are so tight-lipped about is really annoying.
August 17th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
It’s been a year and he chose not to have surgery
Not looking good for him
August 17th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
We better not start him in the playoffs out of nowhere again.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
That’s a bummer.
But I would rather have a healthy Robert Hainsey or Nick Leverett playing Center than an injured Ryan Jenson playing at 50%…
The Bucs owe Jenson @ $22M in guaranteed money still – perhaps that is a major reason the Bucs are giving him ample time to heal up and return if possible.
But at some point if things don’t go well with Jenson they will need to put him on IR or just cut him and give him an injury settlement.
I hope he can return soon but it’s not looking good at the moment.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
@SB he tore three ligaments, flipped the meniscus, fractured his leg and chipped another bone. If he had surgery he would have had to retire. Not having surgery is what gave him a shot to play. With the severity it’s probably a two year recovery like it was for Bakhitiari in Green Bay… no promises though. He might be done if he can’t control the inflammation.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Wonder if he actually had surgery at some point in the off season and he is now recovering from that?
August 17th, 2023 at 4:15 pm
No need to rush back if he’s not ready, it’s not like this is a playoff team, and there’s no reason to go tuff it out to get 5-12 on the season, they can do that with, or without, him.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:20 pm
Is Big Red done without surgery?
August 17th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
Maybe it’s time to take the plunge. It must be hard for Jensen but his best days in football have passed.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
No one should have expected him to be there. Last thing that knee needs is to be in a jam packed plane. If he doesn’t play say half the season and we have a bad record well we weren’t going to be good to begin with.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
I’m no capologist but is there an out here? Is an injury settlement an option? Because it this point, it almost seems like a disservice to the team. We’ll be paying him, what, $40M+ over last season and this season for 1 game played and a chance he might return?
August 17th, 2023 at 4:29 pm
injury settlement ….
needs total knee rebuilt ….
August 17th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
According to Overthecap, if you cut Jensen you save exactly $0.
So there’s no benefit to do so.
You keep him around, hoping he can get on the field before the trade deadline, then you can flip him for a pick. In any case I’d keep him around as a player/coach, something like that, you’re paying him anyways and he sounds like he’s a good influence on all the younger guys.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
We should all know the week before the opener! We know the guy can ball out and has the skills and experience to step in and get the job done at a moments notice, so not to concerned at the moment.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Yeah, he’ seems done. Too bad because he was one of the best.
August 17th, 2023 at 4:44 pm
I hope he’s not done – we need a guy like him!
If he is, he will be remembered for being a true warrior, playing through the whistle, and always having his guys’ backs.
Oh, and that baby powder incident with Brady. Hard to forget that one. 😉
August 17th, 2023 at 4:48 pm
2024 Draft Needs
1. RT
2. C
3. MLB
Come on Baker/Trask!!! Just need one of you to excel.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Nothing new here to me. The archives are available for all to review.
Geno711 Says:
April 15th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Again,
Nothing on Jensen who tore his ACL. Played one game and could not play a second game.
Typically, the only reasonable treatment for ACL is surgery which Jensen did not have.
I will be waiting for the article on Jensen. But really think we will be seeing the Joes talk about Ryan is still recovering and resting and they hope to see what he can do in 2 weeks or a month.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:09 pm
I disagree with A Bucs Fan that says if he had surgery, he would have had to retire.
Plenty of guys have surgery on both the meniscus and ACL tears and come back and play football.
Surgery for those tears are still the gold standard in recovery.
Not having surgery, is historically much more likely to not allow you to play football for more than a game or two.
Which is where we are right now.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:29 pm
In any case, Jensen will not be back 100% and not the starting center for the forseeable future.
Which leaves the OL some combination of Wirfs, Feiler, Hainsey, Mauch, Goedeke.
Half the line highly questionable at best, and a problem. Again.
Rah Rah Canales was brought into implement a new offense, which includes a new blocking scheme. The Seahawks were famous for patchwork OLs that necessitated a mobile Russell Wilson running for his life. Mayfield will have to do the same now.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:34 pm
@ geno711 you’re underestimating the severity of the injury. Your conclusions are based on one tear… may be two. Not four and a bone fracture. Doing all of that surgical work would cause so much scarring he probably wouldn’t be able to bend his knee let alone play football.
Just do your research. Another publication spelled it out. “Jensen sought opinions from five different doctors and upon the guidance of Dr. Donald Shelbourne, an orthopedic surgeon in Indianapolis, opted not to undergo surgery as there was concern for scarring and loss of range of motion. So instead the focus was on healing, regaining range of motion and then physical therapy.”
He’s probably going to need a knee replacement before he’s 50… maybe 45 with that kind of injury.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:37 pm
@steele,
Agree. Last year, about this time, the O-line was a HUGE problem.
This year, same time-frame, same problem.
In the words of Charlie Brown – “Good grief!”
August 17th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
For a team as strapped for cash as this Bucs team, keeping an injured player around for no reason other than you like having him around seems foolish.
Everybody loves what Jensen brought to this club when he was playing. Sadly, it sure appears that his playing days may be over. How much trust can there possibly be in that knee? There’s no way in hell that he’s not goingnto be a question mark on the injury report every single week.
They painted themselves into an unnecessary corner with this one. Teams with a suspect G-C-G combo up front can’t run the ball in the NFL. Impossible to hide a turd at any of those positions.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
The man is done. Thanks for playing. We appreciate everything you gave us. Goodbye and best regards.
August 17th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
The hits just keep on coming
No Gage, no Jensen and no cap relief with either so we can’t replace them except next man up?
I have been trying to think positive and lay off Toad, Todd
Ugh…..six wins max seems like a stretch unless the D produces 14 points a week
August 17th, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Injury settlement in near future
August 17th, 2023 at 5:54 pm
There is no money to be saved by cutting Jensen, so ya’ll mind as well stop suggesting that option. Mind as well let him mentor younger guys in meetings and film review, if nothing else. Maybe his attitude can rub off on the softer lineman.
Speaking of soft, big shout out to Logan Hall for the only noteworthy thing he’s done as a Buc so far- injuring Jensen.
August 17th, 2023 at 6:13 pm
No point to rushing him back. This team needs to evaluate what it has for the future with Hainsey and Mauch.
August 17th, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Cut him
August 17th, 2023 at 6:23 pm
Well said D Rock
His fire and seeing him suit up for Cowboys personifies his work ethic and drive as an ultimate teammate. He will be missed
August 17th, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Bowles Curse
August 17th, 2023 at 6:39 pm
If Logan Hall continues his disappearing act on the field this year we can probably call this Licht’s worst and most expensive pick of his questionable tenure. Even worse than the Aguayo disaster.
August 17th, 2023 at 6:54 pm
Retire
August 17th, 2023 at 7:21 pm
personal health and wellbeing>>>>>>football
August 17th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
Hell, I would be a pro bowl player with Brady as a my QB
August 17th, 2023 at 8:29 pm
There’s no ‘injury settlement’ with a veteran player who has a bunch of guaranteed money.
And there’s no salary cap relief for cutting him. In fact the Bucs would take a $22m cap hit if they tried to cut him as they pushed his salary forward, like they’ve done with a bunch of veteran players.
Can you dullards now please stop just repeating yourselves like a bunch of clueless hens?
August 17th, 2023 at 8:31 pm
@Rod – No, they can not.
August 17th, 2023 at 10:44 pm
A Bucs Fan Says:
August 17th, 2023 at 5:34 pm
@ geno711 you’re underestimating the severity of the injury. Your conclusions are based on one tear… may be two. Not four and a bone fracture. Doing all of that surgical work would cause so much scarring he probably wouldn’t be able to bend his knee let alone play football.
Just do your research. Another publication spelled it out.
I could not find the reference that you were talking about but I am sure you found it as you quoted it, thank you.
So, it is your opinion that Jensens injury was worse than Teddy Bridgewaters, I am guessing.
For a reminder Bridgewaters injury was:
ACL – complete tear.
PCL – Also completely torn.
LCL – Full dislocation of his lateral collateral ligament.
Patellar dislocation – His kneecap was dislocated.
In addition, he had other structural damage to his knee including cartilage and meniscus tears.
Articular cartilage damage – Some of the cartilage surfaces in the knee joint were also damaged in the injury.
The Dallas team physician did operate on all those things with Teddy Bridgewater and he was able to play football again, so it still seems like it would not be an absolute that no one should have surgeries.
I could be wrong. Thank you for your dialogue.
August 17th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
“It’s well known that starting Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen hasn’t participated in 11-on-11 work in Bucs training camp”
Does this mean he participated in 7 on 7s and other practice?
August 17th, 2023 at 11:29 pm
In 2 weeks this will be an afterthought.
August 17th, 2023 at 11:35 pm
Speaking of injuries…losing Gage frees up $1.6 million right? (he has $6.6 dead cap)
I mean if they cut him, which they certainly should do.
August 17th, 2023 at 11:35 pm
6.9 dead cap I mean
August 17th, 2023 at 11:44 pm
It looks like Jensen may be gone a long time. I watched about 6 offensive plays in the all 22 (Steelers game) and on 3 of them Hainsey got beat like he stole something. It didn’t matter if someone was head up on him or in one of the A gaps. He couldn’t block them. It almost looked like rather than getting his feet under him he would just reach. Not sure if he is that unathletic or what is the problem. I hope Leveritt is a hell of a lot better or we are in deep trouble on the O-line. The last thing you want is instant pressure up the middle. Maybe he just had a bad game.
August 17th, 2023 at 11:52 pm
Sadly, Logan Hall’s most impactful snap as a Buccaneer.
August 18th, 2023 at 3:39 am
logan hall is a jerk
August 18th, 2023 at 6:58 am
Give Leverett lots of snaps in Saturday’s game. I believe he can be a better option than Hainsey. Leverett is more stout, and anchors better than Hainsey. Hainsey seems top-heavy/wobbly, just not enough azz under him.
August 18th, 2023 at 8:18 am
For the damage he’s done, Logsn Hall better suddenly turn into the second coming of Warren Sapp. Right now, not only is he a total bust, but he cost this team an all pro center with his brain dead antics.
August 18th, 2023 at 8:19 am
jensens decision to not have surgery may have sealed his fate… I wouldnt be suuprised to hear a retirement.
August 18th, 2023 at 2:07 pm
Practicing hard. That’s Logan Hall’s brain dead antics?
Hate to hear the overwhelming morons who somehow believe that Logan Hall is to blame for Jensens injury.
If it was will Gholston who was making moves on Jensen nobody would make this ignorant a$$ statement. Because Hall is basically a rookie and unproven and possibly a bust, people are more likely to blame an easy scapegoat. Pile on ya dipshïts