Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers received an offensive boost ahead of Monday night’s NFC wild-card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bucs on Monday morning activated center Ryan Jensen from injured reserve.
Jensen, a Pro Bowl selection for the 2021 season, hasn’t played at all during the 2022 campaign. The 31-year-old was placed on IR with a knee injury back on Sept. 1.
It’s been a tumultuous year for the Buccaneers offense, with injuries and inconsistency plaguing the unit as Tampa Bay went 8-9 during the regular season. That mark was enough for Tampa Bay to win the weak NFC South, but as of Monday morning, the Bucs were listed as 2.5-point home underdogs for their postseason clash with the Cowboys.
It’s difficult to know what to expect from Jensen in his season debut. His return obviously is good news for the Buccaneers, though, as they lacked steady offensive line play during the regular season, and Tampa Bay’s dominance in the trenches was a catalyst for its Super Bowl win in 2020.
Jensen, a sixth-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, played four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens to begin his NFL career before signing with Tampa Bay, where he’s now in his fifth season.
