Ryan Jensen Talks Robert Hainsey
February 6th, 2024
Center Robert Hainsey.
Love is in the air at One Buc Palace. It’s been there for years.
Every time Joe talks to someone important about center Robert Hainsey, Joe is told what a driven teammate Hainsey is, all-in all the time.
Retired Pro Bowl Bucs center Ryan Jensen, who served as a de facto Bucs assistant offensive line coach this season, was asked about Hainsey on WDAE radio today.
No surprise how Jensen opened his response.
“With Hanes, I love Hainsey,” Jensen said. “He continually improved throughout the year, which was awesome to see. Really kind of came into his own the latter half of the season.”
Jensen called a “hard-working, all-football kind of guy,” the kind of guy you want to lead an offensive line from the center position.
Hainsey is now entering his contract year as a late third-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2021. Joe likes Hainsey from the standpoint that he’s overachieved his draft status, is super durable, and has improved slowly and steadily.
Will the Bucs want to upgrade at center? If Joe were Hainsey, Joe might be glued to this year’s NFL Draft.
February 6th, 2024 at 7:23 pm
He needs to get in the weight room and the training table. He’s too light in the azz.
February 6th, 2024 at 7:25 pm
Hate to see RJ go but curious what sort of cap relief we get this year with his retirement
February 6th, 2024 at 7:54 pm
I’d put him at left guard, get a bigger bruising center.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:00 pm
Not mean enough
February 6th, 2024 at 8:16 pm
Hainsey needs to put on 15-17 lbs of additional upper body muscle. Also, needs more leg drive which can be accomplished with strength coach.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:16 pm
Make Ryan Jensen the office of line coach
February 6th, 2024 at 8:18 pm
Oops offense
February 6th, 2024 at 8:20 pm
I mean, if you get a road grater at LG who has an attitude, I think we can go with Hainsey. He’s smart and he’s getting better and better. I think Mauch can turn into an enforcer as well. He’s just getting comfortable. I doubt Jensen was acting how we he was for us when he was a rookie with Baltimore and Mauch showed some nastiness this year at times.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:39 pm
I’d love for Hainsey to be our #1 IOL bench player. There to step in for a starting G or C if they go down. As much as I would like to draft an edge rusher 1st round… I am starting to really want that Jackson Powers Johnson. If the post senior bowl reviews are right, that guy is instant upgrade at C or LG for us.
February 6th, 2024 at 8:55 pm
Angry Red needs to get his vision checked.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
Jackson Powers Johnson please
February 6th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
Yea – that all sounds great – but I don’t think its backed up by facts.
Eye ball test doesn’t match up with any of Jensen’s praise or talk of “continually improved” and “came into his own”….
Hainsey regularly gets blown backwards at the snap when pass blocking – and he’s not a very good run blocker either.
Can’t see his “grades” for pass and run blocking separated, but his overall PFF grade is a 52.8 which is not very good at all.
Center position needs to be upgraded – no bout adoubt it.
Maybe Hainsey would be a better LG but I’d prefer he be relegated to swing backup for IOL this last year of his contract…..
February 6th, 2024 at 9:18 pm
Hainsey should be in demolitions…
Absolutely need a new center and can’t wait to see who the jbf draft watchers/pickers have their lists for all the positions. An enjoyable part of the off-season is following. Up on the picks of a few here. Luvmybucs and marmax come to mind. Thanks to all though
February 6th, 2024 at 9:19 pm
Unsure if it was the center qb or can sales but there seemed to be lots of stupidity in our pass protection schemes- far far cry from Jensen and the field general TB12- we witnessed something special for a moment in time.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:35 pm
Lots of good IOL in this draft. Could be three G and definitely 1 C going in the first 40 picks. We have a chance to land one and have a good, young line going into next year. Either IOL or Edge in Round1
February 6th, 2024 at 9:49 pm
Jensen has perhaps a personal reason to think highly of Hainsey.
Jensen was drafted in the 6th round 203 overall pick as a tackle.
The Ravens tried him a tackle,.he played one game got booted to the Practice squad. Next season they moved him from tackle to LG for 11 starts, then back to Tackle the next season for 7 starts and FINALLY in year 4 they moved him to Center..he started 16 games, blossomed, the Bucs get him and you know the rest.
That’s 3 years of moving all over the place and FINALLY playing Center in year 4.
How about Hainsey. Drafted much higher as a tackle from Notre Dame he did not start a game his rookie season when he was a tackle, only played in 9 games. Year 2 He started all 17 finally getting to Center where he played all 17 games last year.
Jensen is seeing a guy just like himself. Perhaps Hainsey like Jensen will blow up his 4th season. I trust the professionals to make that evaluation.
But like Jensen…Hainsey was drafted as a tackle…played there his first year with the Bucs and then started moving around until Jensen’s knee created that opening at Center.
Perhaps…not going all #teampositive…just SUGGESTING there may be a chance he continues to improve now that he knows his position. He’s obviously motivated and considered a very smart a guy capable of learning the OL reads and calls.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:49 pm
He’s not Jensen but Baker was kept pretty safe all year. He is improving, although we may be able to find someone better for the position.
February 6th, 2024 at 9:56 pm
Between FA and the draft. Bucs need a G, C, #1 TE and a RB.
February 6th, 2024 at 10:02 pm
BTW Remember that one bad snap that Baker had to jump and save?
Remember any others? I do not but perhaps there were some? Bottom line Hainsey did one thing at least exceptionally well…snap the ball. Not that it’s important for a Center to snap the ball well!
February 6th, 2024 at 11:03 pm
@Olboy, haha, thanks man. Luv doesnt like my latest picks but he’s right, I havent had a lot of time to research….working too much. Maybe he can pick up the slack.
I know its throwing darts blindfolded, but since we need so many different positions, why not draft that RT Mims, then just adjust the rest to the left. Mauch at C and Hainsey at LG, Goedeke RG. That way O line is done with the first pick of the draft. Maybe pick up another G late round. I dont know….
February 6th, 2024 at 11:38 pm
Notice that Jensen never actually said Hainsey was any good.
February 7th, 2024 at 2:50 am
Good stuff Joe!
Hope Jensen was not just spouting the party line on Hainsey. He improved a bunch this past season though. Still needs to be better. Priority one for me will be LG in the draft. If we have to stay with Hainsey I can live with that. Hainsey did start 17 games for a legit NFL playoff team.
Go Bucs!
February 7th, 2024 at 3:08 am
Hainsey Was never seen as a Tackle at the nfl level. The Bucs never played him there nor was he ever thought of as a tackle. He did play RT his last year a ND but was always knew he’d be kicked inside in the NFL.
February 7th, 2024 at 5:53 am
It’s obvious that the last 3 seasons, the interior o-line has had a hard time moving defenders off the LOS. I think JL will be looking to add road graders to the interior. But then the question is…will they be able to pass protect?? Time will tell!
Go Bucs!
February 7th, 2024 at 6:11 am
Jackson Powers Johnson or Zack Frazier in the 2nd Rd please. I think we can get Van Pran if we sit tight in the 2nd also.
February 7th, 2024 at 6:46 am
Stanglassman
“The Bucs never played him there nor was he ever thought of as a tackle.”
Perhaps you should tell Pro Football Reference which still has him listed as a Tackle show him as a Tackle year one, OL year two, Center year three.
Better still maybe you can get with the Bucs themselves. From the official team website…”Offensive tackle” Robert Hainsey spoke to the media after being selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
February 7th, 2024 at 8:49 am
Thanks 76 bucsfan46 – “Jackson Powers Johnson or Zack Frazier in the 2nd Rd please”.
From the Daily Coroner aka DrT 1972
February 7th, 2024 at 9:45 am
Can always use D or OLinemen. Punt/kick returner in the later rounds, too.
February 7th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
I agree 💯 percent it would be great to draft Jackson Powers Johnson. However, he will not be there at 26.