Gauging Ryan Jensen’s Value
July 13th, 2021
Center Ryan Jensen
Joe always enjoys watching Brian Baldinger break down tape. And Joe especially loves it when Baldinger is breaking down an offensive line. His energy and enthusiasm just jumps off the screen.
Baldinger did a few cut-ups of the Bucs’ win over the Packers in the NFC Championship game. Simply put, he points out the Bucs were just too physical for Green Bay. In all aspects of the game.
However, Baldinger highlighted just how smart of a player and how physical Bucs center Ryan Jensen is. Joe cannot disagree at all.
Now this brings Joe to the subject of Chris Godwin. There’s been a lot of chatter with national publications of late that Godwin and the Bucs have not reached an agreement on an extension with the July 15th deadline looming in two days.
Joe is equally concerned if not worried about another guy who could hit free agency after this season. Jensen is in his contract year. And as much as Joe loves Godwin, Joe isn’t sure who is more valuable? They are both such damn good players and big-time keys to the offense.
Yes, Joe knows the Bucs drafted Robert Hainsey and he could be the future Bucs center. Guess you could make the same argument about Jaleon Darden at receiver.
But it is way premature to suggest before training camp of his rookie season to predict that starting center is Hainsey’s gig in 2022.
So what is the plan for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht? Does he hope to keep Godwin by out-bidding everyone else come free agency and then franchising Jensen?
Remember, 2022 is the final contract year for park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady.
Joe is guessing Brady would prefer Jensen over Hainsey.
Just a hunch.
.@Buccaneers @sinjen66 are too physical for the @packers . This opening drive is a perfect example of how the #Bucs broke the sword of the #packers. Jensen sets the tempo everyday for how the #Bucs dominate. This is beautiful football. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/mhnjDdqiLh
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) July 11, 2021
July 13th, 2021 at 6:00 am
Nobody in the world can break down tape like Baldy. Classic line: “Brady’s at the State Fair popping balloons right now”. Yup, smash-mouth football at its finest.
July 13th, 2021 at 7:10 am
Yes, since Ryan Jenson got to Tampa, our whole attitude changed.
We started becoming a smash mouth football team.
July 13th, 2021 at 7:36 am
Ryan Jenson is just old school mean.
I like Joe’s suggestion, sign Godwin and then franchise Jensen.
July 13th, 2021 at 8:04 am
Baldy does such a great job breaking it down. Would love to watch him break down the entire NFC Championship game. Or the Saints. Or the SB where Mahomes ran for nearly 500 yards against the #1 NFL defense… oh yea, it was the wrong direction… lol
July 13th, 2021 at 8:15 am
I am puzzled why we didn’t extend Jensen along with all the others….and also no long term deal with Godwin…..I suspect that’s on the player’s part…..surely the Bucs want both of them next year.
July 13th, 2021 at 8:39 am
The Bucs have only to July 15th to extend Godwin. Bucs can offer Jensen a new contract anytime during the season.
July 13th, 2021 at 8:44 am
C’mon TBBF. Don’t be puzzled. JL pulled every string in the cupboard to make THIS yr’s team to happen.
There were no more strings
July 13th, 2021 at 8:58 am
The post makes it sound like it’s one (Jensen) or the other (Godwin). Why can’t it be both? Light did what nearly everyone said was impossible this year by bringing back 21 starters + 1. Why can’t he keep all of our key players again next year, particularly considering an expanded salary cap? He’s a magic man!
July 13th, 2021 at 9:30 am
You know it’s Greenberg working the magic…
Licht was considered one of the worst GMs in the league by most ( including most here) until BA and Bowles started telling him who to pick.
Licht House? Ridiculous.
Go Bucs!
July 13th, 2021 at 10:32 am
@SB, I have to agree. JL has done an amazing job resigning everyone. Although doing a long term deal with Godwin would actually lower this year’s Cap Allocation since CG is on the books for his $15MM+ franchise tag. It will be very interesting to see what Licht does next year.
But I do not want to get ahead of thoroughly enjoying the rewards of this year’s Bucs team going to another SB!!!
July 13th, 2021 at 10:46 am
@Jmark, so BA helped pick David, Evans, Godwin, Brate, Jones, Marpet, Vea and many solid other starters and backups? And JL is such a bad GM that BA let him keep his job instead of BA appointing his own guy?
Yeah, I was somewhat one of JL’s critics, so I get it. I mean trading up for a friggin kicker, NO ONE will ever forget that blunder! But no GM gets them all right. But now, at this point, I think JL deserves some credit. It is a team sport, including the management part. When Koetter did not do his part in coaching (and picking), then it is like one bad fish in the refrigerator – it makes everything smell.
July 13th, 2021 at 11:05 am
Literally rag dolling the line backer into another dude like a tossing a sack of potatoes as a weapon….classic
July 13th, 2021 at 11:19 am
Jensen is the motor that brings nastiness to the offense. Yet another player learning to keep it under control, and getting the respect of the officiating. I WOULD not mess with the O line until Brady moves on. Godwin is an ascending elite player and deserving of the money, but the cost is too steep, and I would still prefer ME13. Is it luck that the O line has remained intact for a few seasons, or do we have a bunch of pros that play hurt and take care of themselves? Should be an easy call. The more I think on the franchising of CG, the less excited I am of signing him to a long term deal. Let him go be a #1 or #1a for another team and face the double teams for $16 mil a year- no thanks.
July 13th, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Harry
Some credit? Sure., but David was here already, wasn’t he? Vea in 2019? Brate was poached and signed to big contract, and OJ is Still a ?.
Surely you remember how close he was to being run out of town…
“Licht House “ is gross.
July 13th, 2021 at 1:04 pm
@Jmark
Greenberg handles contracts and the cap, he isn’t scouting talent.
This team has been getting loaded with talent since Licht got here. The Smith brother’s, Lovie and Mike just had no idea how to scheme the defense around it and the offense was held back by a nincompoop at QB.
Even most morons could tell that Licht was drafting players for a scheme that the coaching staff refused to install, then low a behold Bowles shows up and installs a multischeme defense and the rest is history.
July 13th, 2021 at 2:32 pm
Next offseason, Jensen will be 31 and I doubt 31 year-old centers get more than 2 years of big guaranteed money on the open market.
The franchise tag will likely be an easy choice. At age 31 and him playing so well, I think a one year deal to have him paid like a top-5 center is fair for everyone.
July 13th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
ME13 is a godddamn beast!!!
July 13th, 2021 at 9:54 pm
If there were only a way to get out of ME’s contract without too much dead money…
July 13th, 2021 at 10:58 pm
Gotbucs
Umm.. of course Greenberg handles the contracts.. that’s how everybody got re-signed. Kinda the point.
Two years ago Licht was about to be unceremoniously dumped. Now he’s a genius, the likes of which have never been seen? What changed?
Joe’s “LichtHouse” nickname is stupid