Non-Move By Bucs Offers Glimmer Of Hope For Ryan Jensen
August 13th, 2022
Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen.
Bucs fans are agitated about the news, or non-news, concerning Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and his knee. That’s understandable.
As Joe joked recently, when is the last time you heard of a guy suffering a knee injury and over two weeks later (allegedly) the swelling has yet to subside and a diagnosis has yet to be made?
But as Joe wrote earlier, general manager Jason Licht himself explained why the Bucs are milking the clock. They hope — or perhaps, they know? — Jensen has a small window to return in January. So why throw that chance away by putting him on the injured reserve list now, which would end his season under NFL rules? Putting Jensen on IR after Week 1 keeps him available to return.
Often when teams do or do not make a move that leaves fans scratching their heads in confusion, there is a reason.
So we do know why the Bucs aren’t necessarily in a hurry to tell the world about Jensen’s injury until they are forced to by the NFL.
Stay tuned.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:07 pm
Makes about as much sense as anything I’ve heard. If not mistaken Joe, they tweaked the IR rules this year. If they are doing this with Jensen, it will count against one of the 8 designation teams are allowed. If this is the case, then it must not be an ACL.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
This has to presume NO surgery is involved? Trying to think of what various sprains, etc could be the cause
August 13th, 2022 at 2:17 pm
Really not sure. But here is the thing, and it is all you need to know:
If Jensen is put on IR now, his season is 100 percent over. Done. Zero chance of returning. Maybe Jensen’s injury gives him a one percent shot of returning for the playoffs? One percent is better than zero.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:26 pm
That’s a weird rule about injuries.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:27 pm
Things are adding up to maybe a return for Jensen. The picture you had of him the other day walking around without a cane or crutches. The word therapy on the pair of shorts he was wearing. Why do therapy if you are having surgery? The big smile on his face like he couldn’t wait to get out with the boys. The team not signing a center. But mainly, Tom Brady leaving for 10 days when he would be working hard with his new center. Am I dreaming?
August 13th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
GOB is correct. 8 Players are eligible to come back from IR this year.
Jensen if healthy enough would be one of them for sure.
IR is a minimum of 4 games this year, up from 3 games last year.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Liking the sound of this
August 13th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Good explanation, Joes.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
Browns center out with Knee injury. They may bring JC Tretter back.
I was hoping the Bucs would have signed Tretter .
August 13th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Although the Bucs have said nothing, here is what I got from Pro Football Doc.
Jensen, at best, suffered a Grade 3 MCL sprain but originally guessed that it was a torn ACL and MCL.
The Buccaneers have claimed several times they are still evaluating Jensen’s left knee, but they surely at this point know exactly what he suffered.
The 6’4″ 320-pound lineman appeared at a practice – at one point even standing and bearing weight on the injured knee – but Pro Football Doc noted he was wearing an immobilizer that prevents his knee from bending and putting stress on his ligaments. That could have been an after surgery brace.
According to literature, if it was the grade 3 MCL strain, and he already had the MCL surgery, he is on a road of recovery that he would expect to regain most of his joint function within about two to three months.
But returning to actual football could take longer. However, the Bucs will have some of the best therapy available for anyone out there. So, the total of three months after surgery would be in play if it was an MCL tear repair.
So, the best guess is that Ryan Jensen makes the 53-man roster and then gets put on IR. If everything works out great, then maybe a return in early November but late November and December might be more reasonable.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Yep, IR before the season means he cannot return during the season. The NFL also used to also pass preseason IR’ed players through the waiver wire. That was pretty Draconian, they didn’t want teams hiding prospects.
Though not IR’ing Jensen now gives flexibility, we’re still collectively in the dark as to why anything definitive hasn’t been released. Sure, the team doesn’t have to disclose much about injury during the preseason, but I am in the dark as to why we’re still waiting. I don’t see a competitive advantage.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:45 pm
The only reason I don’t like this play is because even if he’s ready to be back on the field for the playoffs, would you chance it? By that time the Bucs should have someone who can handle the position (Hainsey, Leverett, or a FA). The new interior should have gelled by then and be communicating at a high level. Now you want to mess up the chemistry you’ve built over the season by brining in Jensen, off a serious injury non the less? Unless the new center is a glaring weak spot, I’d let Jensen continue to recover on the sideline and hope he’s at full strength for next year.
August 13th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
So, you’re saying there’s a chance? 😉
August 13th, 2022 at 3:01 pm
‘Ben Levine, typing for Pro Football Rumors, came up with an excellent THEORY of why the Bucs and/or Jensen have yet to release the results of tests’.
‘So now we KNOW why the Bucs aren’t necessarily in a hurry to tell the world about Jensen’s injury until they are forced to by the NFL’.
Strange thing about THEORIES. They’re not FACT until proven to be true. That said, I do agree with GOB that ‘Makes about as much sense as anything I’ve heard’. Which is very little BTW. Can’t prematurely discount OTHER possibilities though. MAYBE his injury isn’t as debilitating as many have assumed. Who knows, Ryan MIGHT be back in a couple of months.
August 13th, 2022 at 3:19 pm
Geno……great analysis….so, later November……around Thanksgiving…..according to Booger….
As far as the 90 man roster……nothing wrong with 89……we simply go from 19 WRs to 18.
August 13th, 2022 at 3:46 pm
geno, good info. I can’t get over the advancements made in knee surgery. Years ago, you would have a 5 inch scar. Today it’s just 3-4 tiny holes. Arthroscopy has saved the careers of countless players. I only wish it was available in my day.
August 13th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
If you’ve made it that far with Hainsey and he has done his job…why mess with the oline chemistry during the playoffs?
Stupid. Move on and roll with it.
SMDH
August 13th, 2022 at 4:04 pm
It’s looking increasingly likely (or at least hopeful) that Jensen suffered a severe “sprain” or “strain” to one or more knee ligaments – but that none were “torn”. Its the same injury – just varying by degree.
The latter for an athlete requires surgery and a minimum of 7+ months recovery/PT/strengthening/etc.
The former could absolutely mean no surgery and perhaps near full recovery in 2-4 months.
The fact that we are more than 2 weeks removed from the injury – there’s been no word or indication of “surgery”and seeing Jensen standing on the sideline Thursday for a good period of time without the aid of crutch or even cane – says to me that that our “tone setter” upfront could be back before the regular season is done.
“glimmer of hope” – indeed……
August 13th, 2022 at 4:28 pm
Man is about to pull a Logan Mankins and play on a torn something in his knee.
August 13th, 2022 at 4:39 pm
T Rex, exactly my thought! See my post above.
August 13th, 2022 at 5:02 pm
Brady played for a year and a half with a mcl torched using rubber bands and duct tape and maybe even some avocado tequila to play. Here’s hoping Ryan gets some of his health guru’s home cooking
August 13th, 2022 at 5:04 pm
How does it affect their plans to know the status of his injury? He’s still out the same amount of time. How does telling us make a difference?
August 13th, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Can’t you see a tear on an MRI?
August 13th, 2022 at 6:06 pm
Yo GOB,
Appreciate your comments.
I was an ortho tech for 4 years, in addition to being an Army Medic and I’ve worked as a Microbiologist for over 20 years.
I tore my meniscus, grade 2, pole-vaulting in 1986 in high school. I had an arthroscopic meniscectomy performed 2 weeks before the section finals in the vault. Although in a lot of knee pain, I was able to physically sprint full-speed in 1 week and was vaulting in the finals the end of week 2. I got 3rd place…I performed pitifully (for me) but still, I competed. To this day, I only can see 3 very small scars on my knee from that procedure.
This is what was available back in 1986, for a high-school athlete in California. Surely (Shirley? LOL) you had available to you knee arthroscopy?
August 13th, 2022 at 6:06 pm
He will be back october early november if nothings torn.
August 13th, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Right on D-Rocker. Got the same in 83. Gob must of been playing in leather helmets lol
August 13th, 2022 at 8:42 pm
D-Rok, didn’t mean to be confusing. Certainly, I had the BPTB, which was gold standard at the time, assisted by arthroscopy. I simply meant they’ve made advancements since. I tore ACL, MCL, PCL. LCL. Essentially a total knee dislocation. Rehab went ok, but 18 months later attempting my comeback, I shattered my patella.
August 14th, 2022 at 7:08 am
The Browns center went down, and the very next day they said it was an ACL, needs surgury, out for the season. You don’t need an MRI to determine a torn ACL. I’m sure the Browns center’s knee was swollon too. Be nice if he can come back.
August 14th, 2022 at 8:40 am
Here’s the thing people… If the Bucs are playing meaningful football in January, do we really want to change the Center at that point? would we not go with the Center that got us there? assuming Center is not the “everything awesome except…____” issue they are having. You go with what got you there.
August 14th, 2022 at 9:14 am
Entertain this:
Interstitial tearing of a knee ligament can and will heal without surgery.
The nerves are still active making it too painful to perform the manual manipulation to immediately know the ACL is toast.
MRI initial result is questionable because swelling is preventing a clear indication.
A week is needed to allow swelling to dissipate. The doc performs manipulation test and determines ACL is intact but has been torn interstitially (stretched). MCL will heal down on its own if immobilized. Surgery on MCL will overtly tighten the knee so it is avoided. ACL will heal 4-8 weeks. No significant meniscus damage. All that equals no surgery
August 14th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
Sounds to me like an ACL tear that he may try to play with later in the year and get repaired after season ends. Been done before. All indicators seem to point to this.
August 15th, 2022 at 1:15 pm
MCL?