Ryan Jensen A Wanted Man
March 6th, 2022
Very popular.
Joe has already brought word that the Bengals and the Jets are both looking to throw wads of cash at Bucs free agent center Ryan Jensen when the free agency dinner bell rings in eight short days.
Apparently, other teams are lurking to swoop up Jensen as well.
Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, reporting from the combine in Indianapolis, notes there are several teams after Jensen in addition to Crows free agent center Bradley Bozeman.
Wilson adds that the Jags are also sniffing Jensen.
Jensen is a high priority for the Buccaneers to attempt to retain with sources emphasizing that general manager Jason Licht is going to do everything possible, especially after the abrupt retirement of offensive guard Ali Marpet.
Jensen is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection. He started every game last season, playing in 97% of the Buccaneers’ offensive snaps, and overcame an ankle injury that hampered him during the playoffs.
Now that his four-year, $42 million contract is expiring, the former Ravens’ sixth-round draft pick is due for another payday.
Joe believed that it was Ryan Jensen and not Chris Godwin who would get the franchise tag, if anyone with the Bucs was going to get franchised. But that was before Tom Brady retired (?).
If the priority of re-signing Jensen has elevated in the wake of Ali Marpet’s retirement, and there really are many teams after him, then it’s reasonable that the slim chance of him being franchised has also risen.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said the Bucs will “leave the light on” for Brady in case he changes his mind and has the itch to play football again. If Jensen joins Marpet in walking out the front door of One Buc Palace, Licht can save Team Glazer a few nickels and dimes on the power bill and go ahead and shut that light off.
March 6th, 2022 at 4:32 am
He’d have to make a heck of a lot more in New York to make it pay. Their state tax, and real estate is ridiculously exspensive. I would imagine it’s high in Cinn also. Hopefully he stays. There’s also some good GC’s we can get in the draft. Forget the light on, that’s over already.
March 6th, 2022 at 5:56 am
Taxes! We keep talking about taxes?! There are only 8 teams in the NFL that play in states w no income tax. And yes I’ve cared to count now that people keep bringing up this bogus argument.
The jags, dolphins and Texans don’t attract FAs like moths to the flame bc there are no state taxes, while the Rams sure did fine attracting FAs last year. Gee, I wonder why that was??
March 6th, 2022 at 6:17 am
The Bucs are struggling to overcome The Bowles Blunder.
March 6th, 2022 at 6:18 am
Someones going to offer him 12 or 13 mil a year a hes gone.
March 6th, 2022 at 6:31 am
Brady will not come back to the Bucs after what Bruce Arrogance said that he would not trade his rights to another team. So that put an end to any comeback with another team.
March 6th, 2022 at 6:37 am
I just don’t see him blocking for our new QB the way he did with Tom. See even tho Jensen is a penalty flag waiting to happen Brady calmed that ish down a lot, he wouldn’t give two F’s what trask or any other QB has to say
March 6th, 2022 at 7:02 am
Bucs will pay Jensen $12M a year and keep him. Licht will focus on re-signing O-Line and Godwin. Hoping we can figure out how to keep Whitehead, Suh and Gronk (if he wants to stay/keep playing). Bucs need Suh and Gronk for 1 more year to transition those positions as we draft their replacements.
In general, the philosophy should be to re-sign the O and draft D replacements.
March 6th, 2022 at 7:03 am
Bengals would be the most attractive for Jensen if he is looking for another ring….
I think the problems is the 3 year deal…..& his age. We drafted Hainsey for a reason….may have to let him go.
As far as Marpet leaving….I think that means keeping Cappa & Stennie are more important than Jensen.
Tom Brady waived goodbye to any desire to keep players just to suit him….he’s gone…we need to take care of the overall team without Brady in mind.
March 6th, 2022 at 7:39 am
Risky business sniffing Jensen.
March 6th, 2022 at 7:58 am
A guy that ays 97% of the O snaps and plays injured doesn’t sound like much of a risk to me. I am surprised Seattle isn’t sniffing hard for him, Wilson’s got killed last year because his oline sucked. I love how many of you were tooting this guys horn for the last two seasons and now he may walk out the door to enhance his future and many are writing let him go, he’s not worth it. What I saw was him being the glue that held the line together and yes his stupid penalties sucked but his edge I what makes him so good. BA as always is full of shat, he ain’t holding Brady hostage if he wants to play elsewhere. All Brady would have to say is, if you want to go to a franchise where.the HC doesn’t want to work, doesn’t want to do what it takes to win, smacks you around and throws you under the bus, not to mention the possibility of embarrassing you on national TV, Bucs is the place for you.
March 6th, 2022 at 8:14 am
If my limited understanding of tax law is correct, the Bucs players Pt state income tax whenever on a road game is in a state that has state income tax. So 8-9 games a year, not state income taxes. An average state income tax is, what, 5-7%?
Jensen came here. Played well, won a Super Bowl. Unless he has fallen in love with Florida, he will probably seek the highest pay and best opportunity to win again. Who could say it’s not the Bengals?
March 6th, 2022 at 8:16 am
I think Jensen is as good as gone
March 6th, 2022 at 8:23 am
Wilson adds that the Jags are also sniffing Jensen.
__________
For the love of god Joe, can’t you just say that they’re very interested in him?
🤮
March 6th, 2022 at 8:26 am
The Bucs will make Jensen the highest paid center in the league. I believe they will also sign Cappa & Lenny. On the fence with Godwin, Whitehead & Davis. Don’t care much about the others but would like one more year of Suh.
March 6th, 2022 at 8:36 am
@LeighRoy
Thanks for bringing some facts to these salary debates!
As far as Jensen he’s the kind of guy I’d worry less about overpaying. Just like we hope players give us a “hometown” discount the Bucs can return the favor by simply paying the PROVEN Buc talent whatever the market will bear.
Jensen is a known commodity. Yes he’s getting older but he’s held up well and still in the prime of an OL career. He has anchored a SB line!
Let that sink in a second. Yeah Brady was the GOAT and there was a cast of other offensive super stars but none of them do anything without our exceptional line play! Ryan Jensen was the anchor and the FIRE of that OL!
PAY THE MAN!
March 6th, 2022 at 8:46 am
Our 2022 team will be a shell of 2020 and 2021. With a much tougher schedule in 2022. Time to face the music and rebuild. Start young. Start Trask. If Arians plans on staying only one more season and start Gabbert, he should resign now.
March 6th, 2022 at 8:53 am
Shut it off and slam the door shut, it’s time to go with the younger guys.
March 6th, 2022 at 8:58 am
Quit the crap about the tougher schedule this year.
Didn’t a Tom Brady lead team almost lose to a dismal Jets team last year?
Every game is a tough game……especially for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s ALWAYS been that way.
March 6th, 2022 at 9:02 am
Pete just came to after watching the last series of the Rams game. Pete had a nightmare that Sent him into rehab. A tall black man with a salt and pepper beard wearing a NY Jets hat and jacket called a all out blitz at the end of the tied game leaving Copper Kupp wide open to get the Rams in field goal range for the win. Please tell me this is just some bad brownies Pete gobbled down and Bucs won the superbowl. During Petes hallucination period Pete also saw Brady and Marpet walking out of the stadium hand and hand never to return. Please tell Pete this isn’t so.
March 6th, 2022 at 9:13 am
If he’d choose money and move to a team like the Jets, then he doesn’t care about winning. I take it Jensen in his last ride would prefer winning and maybe no dysfunction. Matter of fact, add the Jags in there as well. If he doesn’t resign, then I can see him moving on to the Bengals. Davis will get the tag. Godwin is coming back. No need for JPP or Suh. Time to get younger on the line. Need to stop holding up our future with old players.
March 6th, 2022 at 9:28 am
A jock tax is a tax which is paid to any state in which a player works or plays. The player is taxed based on the number of days he spends in a state. So if he spends 100 days working in a year and 10 days in a specific state, 10% of his income can be taxed in that state.
Where the NFL player practices is also factored in to their state income tax liability……so it’s not simply where they play.
I think the state income tax issue for players is a factor but not at the top of their list of concerns….
More so would be the money, terms & length of contracts, Team’s Market, Players/Coaches…..Endorsement opportunities etc.
March 6th, 2022 at 9:46 am
Dooosh: So when the Bucs beat the Bears 38-3 last year, you considered that a near-loss?
March 6th, 2022 at 9:51 am
Seattle. Don’t be surprised if they win the sweepstakes. They made a strong run at him and were poised to draft him, but the Ravens snapped him up in front of them with their compensatory pick. Pete Carrol will look to get him in Seattle.
March 6th, 2022 at 9:59 am
Jensen > Davis
March 6th, 2022 at 10:02 am
Tbbf, 2 solid posts.
Tag that moose or let him walk. He has a potential replacement. 20+ others do not.
March 6th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Jensen was KIND of expendable until Marpet quit, (what cap hit does Marpet have for this year, of any?) I dont think Bucs can let him walk now. If it’s a matter of paying him $12 million a year instead of 10, seems reasonable. If that $13 is true… hmm
March 6th, 2022 at 10:36 am
Sounds like we should expect to lose him, unless he wants to come back and play for a discount. We can’t get into bidding wars with our cap.
March 6th, 2022 at 10:43 am
Joe in Michigan Says:
March 6th, 2022 at 9:46 am
Dooosh: So when the Bucs beat the Bears 38-3 last year, you considered that a near-loss?
_________
Obviously no.
But do you also remember we were almost beat by a 2-4 Philly team and we WERE beat by a 3-6 Redskins team.
……. you were saying?
March 6th, 2022 at 10:50 am
Doosh. And a FG that hot the upright in New England? How about the 4 win Jets?
March 6th, 2022 at 11:03 am
Pete just get out of jail?
March 6th, 2022 at 11:18 am
Too old and too expensive he has been playing through some injuries last couple of seasons and at some point age will factor into the ability to stay on the field with the type of injuries he keeps getting. I think the bucs could either go with the draft pick they have or someone who may not be as good as Jenson but cheaper and serviceable have to many needs to pay Jenson 13 or so million a year.
March 6th, 2022 at 11:46 am
I mentioned the Jets already.
Forgot about that NE field goal.
March 6th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
If I was in Licht’s shoes, I’d be predisposed to go with youth, which would be to prioritize Cappa over Jensen. You really don’t know when you’ll find your next franchise QB, so going with younger players makes sense.
March 6th, 2022 at 2:44 pm
HOW GREAT IS LICHT AT CENTERS …
Licht transformed Jensen into a Center. Now he’s a Pro Bowler and a wanted man.
Licht drafted Hainsey and with the vision (again) of transforming a G into a Center. I saw Hainsey make one of the best plays of the year on a run play at the end of last year. He’s gonna be good.
Hainsey is our Center next year and Licht will draft/sign another G to be his backup.
March 6th, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Licht “transformed” Jensen, who played 35 games at center for the ravens, and commanded the highest salary for the position in the league when Licht signed him? Sunday funday I guess…. smoke em if you got em!
March 6th, 2022 at 5:33 pm
Hi Mpete. Glad you aren’t dead, just rebuilt.
March 6th, 2022 at 7:53 pm
Dooosh: The Bucs won 6 games by 20 points or more. Did you watch those, or only the close games?
March 6th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
I agree with Ash. His injuries are starting to pile up. Better to let him go a year too early than a year too late. Use the comp pick to grab another OL and use the money we save to help sign Lenny, Godwin, Davis and Whitehead.
March 6th, 2022 at 8:39 pm
Joe in Michigan,
My point is that talking about how hard our schedule is is a waste of time.
We can and DO lose to bad teams.
You’re being obtuse.