Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran center Ryan Jensen is feared to have suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first week of training camp, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Jensen was carted off the field on Thursday after going down during a practice rep and, while the Buccaneers have options to replace Jensen for the season, losing him is a huge blow.
The excitement that training camp opening brings is unmatchable. It means that meaningful football isn’t far away, but the caveat that comes with it rears its ugly head preseason after preseason. You’re going to see it being said for the next month, but injuries are an unfortunate reality in the NFL. It’s simply bad luck. But the ramifications can be brutal.
Jensen signed a three-year $39 million contract in free agency to return to Tampa Bay where he spent the last four seasons of his career – with the last two seasons as the starting center for Tom Brady. The Buccaneers had already lost two of their starting interior offensive lineman from 2021 as Ali Marpet surprisingly retired after seven seasons and Alex Cappa joined the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.
The Buccaneers did solidify the interior during the offseason by trading for the Patriots’ Shaq Mason, a player Brady will know very well after spending five seasons as teammates in New England, but they’ll potentially have to dip back into free agency to replace Jensen.
Fortunately, there are more options than usual in the center market for the Buccaneers. Firstly, there’s J.C. Tretter, the former Cleveland Browns starter. Tretter is now 31 and his health is a big concern, but he missed just one game in five seasons with the Browns and was one of the best all-around centers in the NFL during that time.
Tretter had a pass-blocking grade of over 80.0 in every one of his five seasons with the Browns, per PFF, and hasn’t allowed more than 20 pressures in a single season since 2017. That is very, very impressive. By contrast, Jensen allowed over 20 in three of his four seasons with the Buccaneers. Which, by the way, is still damn impressive. Both are studs.
If the Buccaneers and Tretter can’t agree on a deal, then there are other options. Matt Paradis is still a free agent after leaving the Carolina Panthers in the offseason and, while he isn’t to the same level as Jensen and Tretter, he’s still a solid player and a viable replacement short-term.
Exterior options might not appeal to the Buccaneers, though. And if that’s the case, there’s an in-house option that might work. The team drafted Robert Hainsey in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Hainsey was drafted as a tackle but the Buccaneers opted to use his versatility and slide him to the interior. He only played in 31 total snaps in his rookie year, but the team believes he can make an impact long-term.
It’s good to have options, but replacing Jensen isn’t an easy task. There’s a reason that no center makes more money per year than him. He’s a brutal run-blocker, a true competitor, and brings real leadership to the offensive line. Plus, continuity is important. Jensen has built a connection with Brady and knows the offense. He was an integral part of the team that won the Super Bowl in 2020, the team that challenged for the Super Bowl last year, and was, of course, going to be an integral part of the team again. There are options, but the Buccaneers can’t truly replace Jensen.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
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