Ryan

Jensen

Jensen was on the Buccaneers’ roster in 2023 but didn’t play a snap. The veteran center hasn’t played a down of football since 2021 and was expected to be forced into retirement as a result of his injury. Jensen entered the league in 2014 as a sixth-round pick of the Ravens and joined the Buccaneers in free agency ahead of the 2018 season. He would go on to start every game for the Buccaneers from 2018-2021 and was a member of their 2020 Super Bowl-winning team. Jensen earned one Pro Bowl nomination in his career and started in 90 of 100 games played.

Jensen was placed on IR and will miss the 2023 season. The 32-year-old has been dealing with knee injuries the last two seasons and opted to not have surgery last year. Jensen retiring would help the Bucs, who would leave $4.7 million in dead money to release Jensen as a post-June cut next offseason. Tampa will turn to Robert Hainsey as the starting center in 2023.

Jensen struggled through injuries for most of the 2022 season. The Buccaneers allowed a league-low 22 sacks with Tom Brady at quarterback but struggled to the tune of 3.56 running back yards per carry. It could be a different story in the sack department with Baker Mayfield now under center to start the season.

Jensen injured his knee during training camp and has been on the injured reserve all season. However, he was able to practice with the first team ahead of the Wild Card Round and is expected to make his season debut against the Cowboys. Jensen’s return is great news for a Buccaneers offensive line that will have its hands full against a strong Cowboys pass rush.

It’s possible Jensen could return for the Bucs’ playoff run, but it appears he’ll be held out of the season-finale against the Falcons. The Buccaneers secured their spot in the NFL playoffs with a win over the Panthers last week, allowing them to give Jensen an extra week to recover. The veteran center has yet to play this season after suffering a knee injury in July, but is a key piece to an offensive line that’s been decimated by injuries all season.

Jensen’s 21-day practice window has officially opened. The standout center has been on IR since suffering a serious knee injury in August. He would be a much-needed addition to a Tampa offensive line that has struggled with run blocking for much of 2022. After practice, Todd Bowles told reporters Jensen would not return for the team’s Week 17 game against the Panthers.

Tampa Bay is holding out hope Jensen can return late in the year, but odds are his season is still over after suffering a knee injury in practice this month. The Bucs are handing the keys over to 2021 third-rounder Robert Hainsey at center.

The Bucs are trying to keep the door open for Jensen, and haven’t placed him on IR yet as they discern the total state of the non-contact knee injury he suffered in late July. But this was always the likely scenario, and Jensen’s toughness and willingness to play through pain won’t help him through this. The Bucs will likely be starting 2021 third-rounder Robert Hainsey at center for much of the season unless they make another move.

With Ryan Jensen facing a long-term absence after suffering a knee injury early in camp, the Bucs are scrambling a bit at center. A third-round pick last year, Hainsey is the next man up. “Every day he’s facing Akiem Hicks and Vita Vea,” coach Todd Bowles told King. “If that can’t get you ready for the season, I don’t know what will.” The coach added he is not particularly worried about the situation. Still, this is an uncertain situation for a team squarely in win-now mode. It would not be surprising if the Bucs look to a free agent like J.C. Tretter to shore up the depth chart.

Bowles also added to his response, “We’ve been in shorts and t-shirts. That will work itself out as training camp goes, and depending on how that works out, we’ll see if we go outside of the house or not.” The Bucs currently has linemen Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett on the roster, who have appeared in a combined 11 games and seen little time at center. Free agent J.C. Tretter remains another interesting option, as the 31-year-old remains on the market after spending the last five seasons with the Browns.