Buccaneers' Star Offensive Player's Career In Jeopardy

Tampa Bay Buccaneers star offensive player is out for the 2023 season and the team is placing him on injured reserve.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pro bowl center Ryan Jensen will be placed on injured reserve, Bucs' general manager Jason Licht announced during the team's preseason finale broadcast against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan Jensen elected to not have surgery last season after a serious knee injury, somehow playing in their playoff game. It’ll almost certainly be his last game. https://t.co/miWASY6BCm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2023

The 32-year-old will miss the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. Last season, he tore his ACL, MCL, PCL, meniscus, and much more which he initially avoided surgery on. He was able to return in six months to take on the Dallas Cowboys last season in the Wild Card matchup. 

Full Comments from Bucs GM Jason Licht on Ryan Jensen being placed on the IR & his Season being over—#GOBUCS pic.twitter.com/3jaIjxgXCB

— 𝗭𝗮𝗰 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗻𝗲𝗿🎙 (@ZacOnTheMic) August 27, 2023

This seemed to have been trending this way as the team handled the injury oddly throughout training camp, where the center never suited up or took part in any drills.

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Now, the team will be looking into more and more options as to how to replace him for the upcoming season, which will now be a long-term fix, not a short-term one that would see the team only covering his position for a few weeks.

The situation is truly sad, as Jensen may have played his last snap in the NFL during the playoff loss last season. The complications from his injury a year ago provide a road to recovery that may not be plausible for an NFL return.

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