“Still Rehabbing”
January 30th, 2024
Center Ryan Jensen.
Is 2021 Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen’s Bucs career still in play?
Jensen has played in one game through the past two seasons after tearing up his knee in July of 2022.
Before this season, there was hope Jensen would play in September, but he and the Bucs jointly pulled the plug on 2023 by putting Jensen on injured reserve during training camp. Since then, Jensen has been a regular at One Buc Palace and has traveled with the team to road games, but little has been said about his knee progress.
Kevin Lewis of Tampa’s ABC-TV news affiliate seems to have an update.
He produced a feature last week on Jensen’s home building business co-owned by former Bucs offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey. Lewis said Jensen is “still rehabbing” and Jensen said he is working in his construction business while “being able to do everything I need to do for football.”
That sure sounds like Jensen hasn’t thrown in the towel on his football career.
It’s hard to imagine Jensen returning to the Bucs at 33 years old on a shaky knee, though he has a contract for next season and the Bucs could be stuck with a bunch of dead salary cap money if Jensen is cut.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:14 am
Cut it off.
Jensen on one leg might be better than Hainsey.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:40 am
I’ve pretty much given up hope on a Jensen return. Make him a coach or something. It was by some miracle he played one last time. From his own accord, his knee sounds absolutely mangled. I’d thank God for his grace that I’d be able to walk normally and call it a career.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:47 am
What Leopold said.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:51 am
I think I read that he has no cartilage left in his knee. That doesn’t sound like a knee you wanna be playing football on. Not really expecting him to play again barring some kind of miracle.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:54 am
Jensen is a smart man. He’s not going to retire as long as he has a contract he gets paid. So all he has to do is hangout and collect.
If I were him I’d do exactly the same thing. He knows he’s done but, he has the luxury of doctors, trainers, and training facilities. Not to mention a FAT payday.
He’s got ZERO interest in retirement.
January 30th, 2024 at 1:00 am
Injury settlement.
January 30th, 2024 at 1:08 am
33 isn’t that old for a center, he could certainly be back if he wants to keep playing.
Also I was looking at his contract, I and I thought the 3rd year was just some void year garbage, but no, it’s a real contract. If he’s not playing, then they’d do something post-June 1st, since it’s pretty much impossible to take the hit if he retired or got cut or traded before June 1st.
January 30th, 2024 at 1:24 am
SB Says:
January 30th, 2024 at 12:47 am
What Leopold said.
January 30th, 2024 at 2:29 am
Likely trying some type of alternative approach….like stem cell? Maybe he’s seeing some type of response to the treatment. Sounds like he’s at least attempting to rehabilitate it, time will tell. Definitely would love to see Mayfield and Jensen feed off each, could be contagious with the offense.
January 30th, 2024 at 3:18 am
a long shot what if:
what if:
he comes back somehow, someway…and anchors the o-line like before, and gets back to his nasty on-field self…
and wins comeback player of the year !
hey anything is possible
January 30th, 2024 at 5:31 am
Van Pratt in the draft, it’s time to move on.
January 30th, 2024 at 5:54 am
yeah johnny van pratt would be nice…
and if he’s a master at pancaking, we can call him van-splatt
another good option is georgia’s van pran
(van pran he da man)
January 30th, 2024 at 6:13 am
Well said to what Leopold Stotch commented.
January 30th, 2024 at 6:38 am
Another no brainer, Jensen want be back as a player but maybe as a coach as someone has subjected already.
January 30th, 2024 at 7:08 am
If Jensen wants to come back, the Bucs should certainly let him try. Just don’t bank on it like they did this year. Licht needs to have a real plan to replace Hainsey (not named Jensen).
He’s a guy I wouldn’t count out. His return isn’t likely, but he clearly loves football and the Bucs if he’s still travelling to all away games with the team.
January 30th, 2024 at 7:45 am
R-O The clock strikes the same time twice a day and this morning we agree!!!
Will miracles never cease. That’s spot on.
As for Jensen…looks hopeless but then I remember the pics of Alex Smith’s knee. QBs need more mobility than a Center…but the Center needs more power.
Bottom line…while a LONG shot stranger things have happened.
January 30th, 2024 at 7:56 am
Draft either Powers-Johnson, Van Pran or in the second or Delmar Glaze in the 3rd to succeed Jensen. Powers-Johnson is my preferred pick because he’s a nasty run blocker and out of 829 snaps he gave up just one hurry last year.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:00 am
Draft the Center fro Georgia. It will make Stinnie, Mauch and Baker better AND enhance the run game.
The center is the first person to touch the ball every play, get the right one (like Jensen was) and it’s amazing how good the team can function.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:00 am
The Bucs are doing right by a former top rated player. Giving him plenty of time to rehab even though the odds are long is a class act.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:16 am
We didn’t get much out of that $39 mil contract….and didn’t Jensen bypass an operation on that knee?……How did that work out for him?
January 30th, 2024 at 8:27 am
Would love to have him back but I do not think that the stem cell therapy will be enough to grow cartilage back in his knee.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:29 am
Time to ‘cut’ him. Thanks for the service. You earned retirement.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:32 am
“Coach” Jensen would be the perfect guy to train a new Center, either a draft pick or moving Mauch to C.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:43 am
Jensen, PFF 70 (’21 season)
Hainsey, PFF 52 (’23 season)
The disparity between those two numbers has ruled the last two seasons
January 30th, 2024 at 8:55 am
@TomBucsfan
“Would love to have him back but I do not think that the stem cell therapy will be enough to grow cartilage back in his knee.”
Agree. I’m no orthopod or knee specialist but I am old. LOL Every six months I get injections of a product…various names…bottom line…
“The injection contains a gel-like mixture made from a substance called hyaluronan (pronounced hy-al-u-ROE-nan) that comes from chicken combs.
Hyaluronan is a natural substance found in the body and is present in very high amounts in joints. The body’s own hyaluronan acts like a lubricant and a shock absorber in the joint and is needed for the joint to work properly.”
My 76 old knees feel like they’re 36 for several months after the injections.
It’s basically effective for those with “some” cartilage remaining for the stuff to bond.
There are other “acid” shots to treat cartilage and athritis.
I post this more for readers who may have sore knees. Check with your orthopod.
Sadly I’m not sure cartilage is the major issue. Perhaps a Doc or someone else here can explain what happens when your rip out ligaments. That’s where the real liability and damage occurs.
January 30th, 2024 at 9:01 am
@Stepete you’d get better results if you took the hyaluronic acid orally.
January 30th, 2024 at 9:04 am
Rehabbing for his construction business maybe. Not for football. His career is over. Surprised an injury settlement hasn’t been reached.
Hey Logan Hall, thanks a pantload
January 30th, 2024 at 9:15 am
Tampabatbucsfan-This is the lie that will never die. Everyone just repeats it to each other so much it becomes true. I suppose that’s our world now. The truth is that the doctors advised him his only chance to play football again was the stem cell option. The surgical route was an option but it wouldn’t give him the possibility to play. He choose the stem cell and it worked. The problem was that he had extensive damage to cartilage. Neither option grows cartilage.
To recap: He had no good options. His knee was wrecked. He did not opt for some hippy dippy choice when orthopedic surgery was the easy choice. His career and nearly 100 Mil on the line he didn’t go with Reiki (or stem cell in this case) bc it sounded cool.
Tampabaybucfan Says:
January 30th, 2024 at 8:16 am
We didn’t get much out of that $39 mil contract….and didn’t Jensen bypass an operation on that knee?……How did that work out for him?
^Super Smug^^^^
January 30th, 2024 at 9:22 am
Perfectly said, Leopold
January 30th, 2024 at 9:25 am
Jensen tore his ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus, and fractured his tibial head and cartilage, and miraculously, he not only avoided surgery but made it back six months later for the Bucs’ wild-card game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Jensen sought opinions from five different doctors and upon the guidance of Dr. Donald Shelbourne, an orthopedic surgeon in Indianapolis, opted not to undergo surgery as there was concern for scarring and loss of range of motion. So instead the focus was on healing, regaining range of motion and then physical therapy.
Cribbed from Espn article.
January 30th, 2024 at 9:40 am
Turn the page.
(Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State – Round 1)
Cooper Beebe, LG, Kansas State – Round 2
Sedrick Van Pran, C, Georgia – Round 3
… And say hello to the most dominant OL in the NFL
January 30th, 2024 at 9:45 am
@Sly you think Van Pran will make it to the 3rd round?
January 30th, 2024 at 9:53 am
he is retiring.
January 30th, 2024 at 10:18 am
Can not blame Jensen for trying to mount a comeback, until the Bucs issue him an injury settlement he is making very good coin. BTW, this reminds me that the only relevant thing Logan Hall has done as a Buc so far is to blow up Jensen’s knee and then we fans witnessed that strange waiting game where the Bucs did not address center in free agency and thus were stuck with a below average Hainsey as their starter. Did Licht actually expect Jensen to be back and then he had a set back? I doubt if Licht really believed Hainsey is a a bonafide starter at center! Mauch at center seems intriguing but the Bucs will need to address the interior of the OL on the first 2 days of the draft one way or another.
January 30th, 2024 at 10:24 am
I keep seeing posts that say “injury settlement”….
Thats not an option unfortunately….
The Bucs restructured Jensen’s contract last March to spread the liability over a longer time frame and clear $9M worth of cap space.
As it sits now, Jensen is still owed $16.5M which is the dead cap hit the Bucs would have to eat if Jensen is cut this year. Or – he gets a $1.5M roster Bonus March 17th and counts $5.97M against the cap in 2024 which is the “last” year of his 3 year deal.
3 Dummy years (’25, ’26 and ’27) were added to the end of his contract so if Jensen stays on the team this year with the $5.97M cap hit – then $11.8M against the cap would still be owed in 2025 once his contract expires unless there were some additional extension or restructure before then…..
Everyone feels bad for Ryan Jensen personally because his knee is so messed up, but this contract has been a nightmare for the Buccaneers to have to contend with $ wise….. Sign a guy to a a $39M 3 year contract with $26M Guaranteed and he then proceeds (through no fault of his own, obviously) to get his knee permanently mangled the 2nd day of practice after signing such a huge contract for a center.
OUCH! – for all involved…..
January 30th, 2024 at 10:32 am
Why do people keep blaming Hall for Jensen’s injury? It was Stinnie that pushed Hall into Jensen. That being said, neither of them should be blamed. It was just something that happened in a contact sport.
January 30th, 2024 at 11:11 am
Jensen is Sweeny 2.0. Gettin his money for nothin and his chicks for free.
January 30th, 2024 at 11:32 am
He’s toast!
He we be nothing like his former self.
Move on dot Bucs
January 30th, 2024 at 11:53 am
If he was able to come back and play this would be the biggest boon for the Bucs. I don’t think he does but it would be amazing.
January 30th, 2024 at 11:55 am
I think this case is also a perfect example of why season ending and career ending injuries should fall off of the teams cap number.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Even if he is bacl, he wont be 100%. Unfortunate, he was best C in the league imo. Tragic ending but at least he got a ring.
January 30th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Personally Id take him back even on 1 leg….move Hainsey to left guard and move on from Stinnie He got blown up big time in the last few games. Great guy but need an upgrade
January 30th, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Jensen never got the gold standard of treatment (surgery) for his knee tears.
Expecting him to play this next year is a pipe dream.
The only reason Jensen would take an injury settlement is he believed that the Bucs did not want him AND his salary with a new team and the injury settlement would exceed what the Bucs owe him.
Since, he can’t play, he won’t get an injury settlement.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:12 pm
Make him an offensive line coach or an assistant to the oline coach, which whoever that’s gonna be now that canales is hand picking coaches from us.
January 30th, 2024 at 8:21 pm
@A Bucs Fan
THX for the suggestion. I’ve done some research so I do not dismiss your suggestion out of hand.
There are three major reasons why I do not take the Acid orally instead of injecting the chicken comb material.
1.) My Doc is Koco Eaton who is the team orthopod for the Rays and has helped many athletes in various sports.
2.) I’m not a big fan of taking stuff orally unless I have to.
3.) I’m getting great results with the injections and see no need to change.
I appreciate the idea however and do not dismiss your idea out of hand.
January 30th, 2024 at 11:49 pm
I cannot fathom he will be anywhere near what he was. they need a center and a left guard. Bring back Baker and Evans. And get a creative OC who doesn’t want to run the ball 60% of the time in a passing league.
January 31st, 2024 at 3:07 am
There is a company called vericel that takes a piece of your cartilage and from that piece grows more cartilage in their lab. Then implants the bigger ‘wafer’ of cartilage back in the person. Evidently it must be working somewhat because this company has doubled in size in the last year or so….and there website is an interesting read. Sports medicine is growing in leaps and bounds these days.good luck to Mr. Jensen.
January 31st, 2024 at 3:13 am
The procedure is called Maci.
January 31st, 2024 at 5:22 am
I would not bet on his just retiring without giving a shot at least.
Go for it dude!
Go Bucs!