Roundtable: Most disappointing Buccaneers in 2018
By Ryan Doyle
Horan: C Ryan Jensen
The Buccaneers eagerly made Ryan Jensen the highest paid center in the league this off-season, when they signed him to a four-year deal worth $42 million. Jason Licht and company had hoped that Jensen would elevate one of the weakest parts of their offensive line, and to a degree he has.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have improved along the offensive line this season regarding protection and run blocking, and Jensen has certainly helped. But how much? And is it enough to warrant that contract?
For a player making that type of money, you want to see him playing like one of the ten best at his position, but that hasn’t been the case this season by any measure.
The Bucs still get stuffed in short yardage runs up the middle and still suffer from pressure up the middle (a quarterback’s worst nightmare). Jensen is the 29th ranked center in the league according to Pro Football Focus. A lot of these struggles can be traced back to the right guard position where Caleb Benenoch has struggled all season. And it’s also likely that those struggles have at times made Jensen look bad by extension.
Jensen has certainly brought a great deal of toughness to the team and can always be found sticking up for his quarterback after late or questionable hits. In that regard, the Bucs have benefited from the signing. But they’ll hope for more consistency from the prized free agent next season.