“He Played The Whole Year With A Broken Hand”
June 12th, 2019
Fresh revelation
BY ZACHARY SEIFTER
JoeBucsFan.com intern
We all knew the Bucs’ third-round pick came with an asterisk next to his name.
The former Auburn Tiger, Jamel Dean, came into the league with three previous knee injuries, all season-ending, from his high school and college days. It was the biggest red flag when evaluating Dean.
It turns out there was something else, too.
Head coach Bucco Bruce Arians hopped onto the Ira Kaufman Podcast and discussed his shiny new toys in the secondary. There, he revealed interesting information regarding Dean’s health in his final season with the Tigers.
“Jamel, you know, he played the whole year with a broken hand and a big cast on his hand and he’s playing bump and run, so I know he’s got heart,” Arians said. “And whether or not he could catch I didn’t know until we got that cast off.”
Not once during the pre-draft process was a broken hand mentioned in evaluations of Dean. The Daniel Jeremiahs of the world, the Mel Kipers, said nothing of the sort.
But it’s not really their fault, as Auburn University never once indicated that Dean suffered a broken hand.
Throughout the 2018 season, Dean made all but two starts for his team. He didn’t start in the season opener against Washington (although he did play significant time in that game and even recorded his first of two interceptions last season) due to what Auburn coach Gus Malzahn claimed was a “finger issue.” He then injured his shoulder in a game against Tennessee, causing him to miss his team’s next game against Ole Miss before returning the following game.
Dean’s hand was in a cast all season, but never once was it said that it was broken.
It didn’t stop him from having his best college season. Dean recorded highs in interceptions (2) and passes defensed (9). And that performance translated to a strong spring.
After posting a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at his pro day in March, Dean came to Tampa and put together a string of practices that caused coach Arians to claim that the secondary is “totally fixed.”
Himself, along with rookies Sean Murphy-Bunting and Mike Edwards, showed off their speed and size and impressed getting their hands on a lot of passes. Dean even pulled in a few for interceptions.
It’s a nice start. But the best thing he did was something he couldn’t seem to do at Auburn.
Stay healthy.
Media may not be invited to every Buccaneers spring practice, but Derrick Brooks has a little more access than Joe. You’ll find out what Brooks saw on this edition of TAMPA TWO, presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating!! It’s another dynamic production from The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan.com. Enjoy!!
June 12th, 2019 at 9:43 am
The guy seems injury-prone. Not a great sign.
June 12th, 2019 at 9:57 am
But we will have experienced backups if he goes down this time who know our system! We know he plays with heart!
June 12th, 2019 at 10:01 am
Zachary,
I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t very receptive at first to anyone writing articles for JoeBucsFan.com other than the Joe’s and Sage, but I’m warming to it and your articles keep getting better and better. Can see a little bit of the Joe’s influence rubbing off on you and your writing. Props!
June 12th, 2019 at 10:10 am
Joes, this guy is a keeper, Zack has an insight and quality of expressing himself. Please sign this guy as a staff writer after his internship or better yet wrap him up now…he is a quality reporter!
June 12th, 2019 at 10:12 am
I like him He is tuff as nails to play with a broken hand the whole year for his team
June 12th, 2019 at 10:23 am
Tough guys we need.
The knee injuries are a concern. Give him some sort of Joey Galloway treatment. Let those legs get stronger for entire season
June 12th, 2019 at 10:30 am
The best thing he did was stay healthy?? Its been like, 3 weeks of minicamps and OTAs, lets wait and see if this extremely injury prone CB can stay healthy through a training camp WITH tackling.
What about staying healthy through a season of 18-19 games w/preseason or more with playoffs?
What about stringing healthy seasons together? Can he play more than 1-2 seasons without missing large chunks of time?
All of this seems highly unlikely. I get taking a chance, but he was drafted 1-2 rds too high
June 12th, 2019 at 10:52 am
Jolly Bucs I hear you, but what this team needs is talent – top shelf talent. I’m OK with a gamble on a guy who has that potential who slid because of injuries; I’d rather that then an “OK” guy who is a safe pick.
June 12th, 2019 at 11:37 am
If we get all these guys to play well for just one season then it was worth it. We are in win now mode. If all goes according to plan, we may only need to get Oline and defensive ends next season. I really hope rojo becomes the rb we desperately need.
June 12th, 2019 at 11:54 am
Man I’m pumped to see these secondary players on the field. I don’t care if our starting CBs are all rookies or whoever. It just feels like we have a lot to work with for once.
Injuries require context. I don’t buy the injury prone label unless it’s a guy who gets dinged up a lot easily on minor stuff, or has issues with pulls/tears/etc to where you think their style or preparation is conducive to constant minor injuries.
This guy had all his major knee injuries from 2013-2016.. When he was still a young high school kid in a growing/developing body. If you’re going to have a major injury to recover from that’s a better time to have it happen than say at 25-35 years old.
Once eligible, he played 24 out of a possible 26 games in college with no set backs. Only injury in the last 2-3 years is this broken hand thing. Knees obviously fine if he’s running 4.3 40s at his size (6’1 215 lbs)
Some Auburn fans I’ve seen thought this guy was better than Davis.
He’s probably the best size/speed combo CB from the entire draft.
June 12th, 2019 at 12:22 pm
University of Auburn? Really, Joe?
June 12th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
great size and speed combo….played great competition in the SEC….we have great talent and depth in the secondary….
i hope j. evans returns healthy and ready to prove himself…..edwards and whitehead seem hungry and ready to challenge for that starting spot….
GO BUCS!!!!!
June 12th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
I hope the kid doesn’t get confused when teams run complicated formations like Smitty did in Chicago last year.
There is a devastating nickname lurking for a disorientated cornerback………..Dizzy Dean.
Just saying.
June 12th, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Players from Auburn and LSU signify to me a better Bucs team going forward. Those college teams produce good talent in the always tough SEC.
June 12th, 2019 at 1:34 pm
Zack—
Admit it. You’re getting paid in beet salad, right?!
June 12th, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Weird sign of where someone’s head is at when they are coming up with negative bashing nicknames of rookies before they’ve played a single down
June 12th, 2019 at 4:56 pm
Weird sign when fans are measuring this kids head for a bust in Canton.
If Dean was a race horse, he would have been shot……four times.
I’m just trying to introduce some balance to the discussion.
June 13th, 2019 at 3:30 am
Staying healthy during non-contact practice is no big deal. Let’s see if he makes it through training camp and plays 16 games
June 13th, 2019 at 4:51 pm
Injury prone? When did he hurt those legs? And didnt he have his best season after those injuries? Hes collage tape is descent. Perfect for man to man. He ran a 4.3 on two bump legs. Im all in on this tuff SOB. Glad his on my team. Go Bucs!