Drinking The Seferian-Jenkins Kool-Aid
July 29th, 2014Yes, Joe throws back shots of whiskey to dull the pain from the state of the Bucs’ offensive line. But Joe’s also celebrating early about rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Premature exuberance is always a good thing to stay balanced.
This kid is a striking presence on the football field. He’s a defensive-end body with burst and speed and hops and hands, and he can block.
Joe can’t imagine Bucs fans watching practice yesterday not saying to themselves, “Sh*t, that freakin’ beast is on our team. Good luck matching up with that guy.”
At 6-5 and a chiseled 260 pounds, Seferian-Jenkins is the new breed NFL basketball tight end. Close your eyes and imagine the great things Tim Wright did last year as a Bucs rookie. Now imagine Wright with another inch, 40 more pounds, and much more physical.
If Joe drank wine, then Joe imagines he might unscrew a bottle of some sort of snooty chardonnay this afternoon and break out the fresh Velveeta to celebrate the Bucs’ haul in the second-round of this year’s draft.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford’s got an awful lot of weapons. Fingers are crossed that he’s the artist general manager Jason Licht says he is.
July 29th, 2014 at 10:05 am
Ya seems like It – not hearing much about 13 what’s going on there?
July 29th, 2014 at 10:12 am
Im starting to think the offense is going to come right out the gate winning games as our defense gels. Noone knows what plays we are going to run so that will give offense an advantage early in the season
July 29th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Joe
So far our OL is a question mark, but we have RBs, WRs, and TEs and you mentioned a sweep with a forest of WR + TEs with Sims running behind them on a toss sweep. Question, can Sims throw the ball and if so could he hit VJax streaking anywhere? Does this require much of a OL?
I am not a coach so I am sure that the OC is dreaming visions of wonder.
What say you with a great Guinness stout in your hand?
July 29th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Ok I’m thirsty.
July 29th, 2014 at 10:22 am
@kevin
I personally think that won’t happen…although it would be great if it did. I believe it will take time to gel. We don’t even know if Tedford is any good yet either.
Seferian-Jenkins seems an incredible find in the draft right now, but I am always leery of giving credit before it is earned.
I want to see him do three things first. One, prove it on the field. Two, don’t develop a weight issue given his size. Three, Show a consistency and desire to be the best…the commitment to make it happen.
Guys that work hard to become the best are the guys that excel in the league.
I don’t want to see him pull a Sean King, where he does okay year one and comes in next year 20 pounds heavier and never does any good after that.
Maybe its the old man skeptic in me because there have been so many disapointing players on this team since the Gruden days.
July 29th, 2014 at 10:23 am
It’s difficult trying to not drink the kool-aid with this guy. He can develop into an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses if we give him the platform to succeed. I can’t help but get a little giddy thinking about all the different targets we have on offense – just gotta give McCown the time to get the ball to them
July 29th, 2014 at 10:23 am
I thought he was listed at 6’6, some publications even put him at 6’7, none the less he is a specimen that I’m exited about! Another big TE we have is Luke Stocker, I know we’re down on the guy here, but if he can overcome the injury bug, this guy looks like an offensive tackle, he would also be a handful to tackle.
July 29th, 2014 at 10:27 am
I will say this….with all the apparent talent on our offense (outside of oline, which I feel is devoid of talent) it sure would have been nice to have gotten an elite QB to lead it…or a potential elite QB.
Right now we have a career backup who knows how to lead in the off season and a QB who holds onto the ball too long.
On Glennon, I’ve noticed his best days come when the pads are not on, while during padded practices, his numbers change dramatically. That’s because he gets flustered under pressure. That was his big problem last year in my eyes.
July 29th, 2014 at 10:33 am
Stocker got all the training camp love too… I like this draft pick but he has to really block (no DE ole’s that have plagued this position and make plans in the seam and on third downs… Ya know, when it counts!
July 29th, 2014 at 10:37 am
I am so stoked over ASJ. We’ve never had a talent like him. Bucs fans are used to drafting a Stoker type as a TE. The weapons Tedford has now has to make him look good. Coaches always say its the players that make them look good. VJax, ME split out wide, Wright & ASJ in a dbl TE set w one going into motion to the slot, and Dougie as the lone back, so many combinations. Well, here you go Tedford, show us what you got!
July 29th, 2014 at 10:41 am
uh, Velveeta Joe. For real. Merlot Joe would be bent at your lack of knowledge. A nice aged Brie would compliment sir.
Step your game up
July 29th, 2014 at 11:15 am
Sefarian-Jenkins is an absolute beast.
To answer the query about ME13.. I went to practice on Sunday & although Evans only made a few catches, I can tell he is going to have a big year. Obviously, he’s huge. But, he’s also a couple steps faster than one would expect; and his route running was quite good. He is an elite version of a possession receiver, IMO. I’m predicting 60-70 catches & 1000-1200 yards.
July 29th, 2014 at 11:17 am
The thought of the potential nightmare for opposing defenses just makes me giddy with anticipation. Think of the line-up that includes VJax, Evans, Wright, and Jenkins with Martin or Sims in the backfield.
July 29th, 2014 at 11:23 am
The next Tony Gonzalez.
You heard it hère folks.
July 29th, 2014 at 11:29 am
@ Harry
You’re right in that we haven’t had a TE like this kid in a long time, but never? Jimmie Giles, my friend, had the speed, size, agility, blocking ability and hands that all the “new age” TEs today have. If he’d have been on a better team, instead of on our horrible early 80’s teams, he would have been a Hall of Famer, IMO.
July 29th, 2014 at 11:43 am
whoa , Tony GoanZalleze, as Gruden would say.
that is way too early.
July 29th, 2014 at 11:57 am
It’s not lack of talent I’m worried about, the guy has all the talent in the world. Go watch a Washington game on youtube and you’ll see what I’m talking about, he is a great blocker as well as a great receiver. The big question is, Can he stay healthy? We’ve seen what foot issues can do to a TE, just look at what happened to Antonio Gates. Hopefully ASJ’s foot problems will not plague him for the rest of his career.
July 29th, 2014 at 12:24 pm
@bucaneerbonzai hey, take it one year at a time lol
July 29th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
I was beyond excited when we drafted him, the bucs got the two picks I wanted, but I can’t help but wonder will we even have a chance to get him the ball with this horrid offensive line we have!
July 29th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
He was actually officially measured at the Combine at exactly 6’5.5 which rounds up to 6’6.
July 29th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
“Fresh Velveeta” is an oxymoron.
July 29th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
“Fresh Velveeta” is an oxymoron.
🙂
July 29th, 2014 at 2:41 pm
The reason Glennon’s had a rougher time in pads this camp is because he’s playing behind the second string line and throwing to second string receiver’s. Our 2nd DL has some decent depth.
The aren’t giving the him first team reps to my knowledge. That’s OK too.
Same problem as last year, you hold the ball when no one is open, you take a sack because you have no protection.
July 29th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
ASJ is going to be fine, just fine. He’s got the skills, coaching and character guys around him.
He may not rack up huge numbers but he will surely create coverage issues. VJax will always draw the double but Evans and the slot WR or Wright in the 2 TE set will benefit greatly.
July 29th, 2014 at 9:59 pm
I had no idea there was an ‘Elite’ QB available to go out and get this off season. I also had no idea the TE ASJ had weight issues. I learn so much here, who needs facts when you can just read JBF comment section.