Austin Seferian-Jenkins - Pro Football Rumors

Jets’ Austin Seferian-Jenkins Avoids Jail

February 17th, 2017 at 8:40am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have seemingly been in the news for all the wrong reasons this week. Here’s the latest item: tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins has cut a plea deal in his DUI case from last year, according to TMZ. Under the terms of the agreement, he will not spend any time in jail. Instead, he will have one year of probation and commit 50 hours of community service. He’ll also attend DUI classes and pay a $500 fine.

Of course, the agreement with prosecutors does not mean that Seferian-Jenkins is out of the woods in terms of punishment from the league office. Because this was his second DUI arrest, it seems likely that the tight end is in store for a multi-game suspension.

As it stands, Seferian-Jenkins is under contract with the Jets through the 2017 season with a $1.061MM base salary and $1.136MM cap number. None of that cash is guaranteed, however, so the Jets could cut him without any fiscal penalty.

Seferian-Jenkins, 24, hauled in 21 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. In 2015, he had a similar stat line across seven games as he caught 21 balls for 338 yards and four scores. This year, he recorded three catches and one touchdown for the Buccaneers before he was thrown overboard. With the Jets, he had 10 catches for 110 yards in seven games.

Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

East Notes: Bush, Watkins, Jets, Dez

September 28th, 2016 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Upcoming roster decisions involving Marcell Dareus and Seantrel Henderson could put Reggie Bush‘s status with the Bills in jeopardy, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. Bush has three carries for minus-4 yards and did not play in the Bills’ 33-18 win over the Cardinals.

Buffalo handed the former No. 2 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner a $375K signing bonus despite signing him late in the offseason but has given Mike Gillislee the backup job behind LeSean McCoy. Last week, fifth-round rookie Jonathan Williams saw action ahead of Bush as well.

Rex Ryan hinted that Bush had a role as a slot receiver set for last week but the team never got to it. The 31-year-old Bush also has not seen action on special teams to this point despite an extensive history as a punt returner.

Here’s more from the Eastern divisions.

Sammy Watkins has not sustained any further damage to his foot, structurally speaking, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (video link). It will continue to be about pain tolerance for the Bills’ talented wide receiver, per Garafolo. Watkins suffered the foot fracture in May and hasn’t been effective this season, by his standards. The former top-five pick has six receptions for 63 yards through two games.
Jets No. 4 wide receiver Jalin Marshall suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder during Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs, Todd Bowles said (via Connor Hughes of NJ.com). The 21-year-old made the Jets as a UDFA out of Ohio State. Hughes notes the team is not ready to put Marshall on IR yet but adds the Jets could be looking to add a wide receiver soon since Eric Decker is also battling an injured shoulder. Brandon Marshall practiced fully today but was questionable for Week 3 after suffering a knee injury against the Bills.
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com was surprised that the Jets claimed Austin Seferian-Jenkins off waivers. Late last week, the tight end was arrested and charged with DUI, leading to being waived by Tampa Bay. The Jets have been taking a conservative approach toward players with character issues under the new regime, but the ASJ acquisition is a clear departure from that mindset. On the other hand, none of his $677K salary is guaranteed for this season, making this a low-risk move from a fiscal standpoint.
While Watkins’ issues may well stem from pain management, Dez Bryant isn’t as fortunate at this juncture. The Cowboys‘ top wideout has a hairline fracture in his knee, but instead of a two-to-three-week timetable previously reported, Bryant’s injury could keep him out more than a month, per Dr. David Chao (via Sirius XM Radio, on Twitter). Bryant missed seven games last season due to a broken foot.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Jets Claim Austin Seferian-Jenkins

September 26th, 2016 at 3:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have claimed Austin Seferian-Jenkins off waivers from the Bucs, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Seferian-Jenkins was waived by Tampa Bay late last week.

In the wake of his second DUI arrest since 2013, the Bucs cut bait with their talented tight end. Seferian-Jenkins, a second-round pick in the 2014 draft, has been looked at as a potential star in the making, though he has not been able to put it all together on the field. The Bucs decided that they had enough after ASJ’s latest off-the-field indiscretion and he certainly didn’t help his standing with the club this offseason when he got into it with coaches during practice.

It will be interesting to see where the Washington product fits in with the Jets. Currently, the tight end depth chart is headlined by Kellen Davis with Brandon Bostick and recent addition Braedon Bowman in support.

Jenkins, who turns 24 later this week, had 21 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. In 2015, he had a similar stat line across seven games as he caught 21 balls for 338 yards and four scores. This year, Seferian-Jenkins recorded three catches and one touchdown for the Buccaneers. He’ll now hope to boost those numbers with Gang Green.

The tight end probably won’t face any discipline for his most recent arrest until 2017, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter).

Latest On Austin Seferian-Jenkins

September 24th, 2016 at 9:56am CST by Ben Levine

We hadn’t heard much from the Buccaneers since they cut bait with tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins yesterday. The former second-rounder was released by the organization after he was arrested for driving under the influence, and the organization was pretty tight-lipped when the transaction was announced.

Fortunately, coach Dirk Koetter finally discussed the move when he appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

“Well, it is disappointing and Austin is a guy that we had high hopes for,” Koetter said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “He was a second-round pick here a couple of years back. He has fought through some injury issues. He’s a very talented individual. It is disappointing when guys, when they make mistakes, and there’s more to every story than meets the eye. Sometimes there is more to it than things I can say on the radio. We wish Austin well. The number one thing is I am glad that Austin is safe and healthy. And I hope he can get himself healthy.”

Let’s check out some other notes pertaining to the embattled tight end…

Seferian-Jenkins’ release from the Buccaneers was a “long time coming,” writes Sporting News’ Alex Marvez. Besides being charged with a misdemeanor DUI, Seferian-Jenkins was also charged with “circumventing a court-ordered ignition lock device,” which was placed in his car following another DUI arrest. The tight end had issues during his time at the University of Washington, and those problems apparently carried over to the NFL. Seferian-Jenkins was reportedly thrown out of practice for his lack of familiarity with the playbook, and the tight end also got in a shouting match with Koetter and other coaches during the Bucs’ preseason finale.
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said (via Twitter) that Seferian-Jenkins’ release had “less to do with the DUI than his lack of professionalism and reliability.”
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN notes (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers are “genuinely worried about” the tight end and hope he “gets straight.”
Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wondered if the Jets could pursue the embattled tight end. Despite the team’s need for a pass-catcher at the position, Cimini can’t envision the front office pursuing the 23-year-old. The organization did bring in both Brandon Marshall and Erin Henderson, but the writer notes that both veterans have done an admirable job of repairing their “checkered” past. Seferian-Jenkins is still rather young and has yet to prove that he’s learned from his mistakes.

Buccaneers Cut Austin Seferian-Jenkins

September 23rd, 2016 at 1:23pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In the wake of his second DUI arrest since 2013, the Buccaneers have cut tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, per a team announcement. To take Seferian-Jenkins’ roster spot, the Bucs have promoted fellow tight end Alan Cross from their practice squad.

Seferian-Jenkins brought an end to his short and disappointing Tampa Bay tenure Friday with a 4 a.m. ET arrest. The 23-year-old is now facing two misdemeanor charges – one for DUI and another for violating the Ignition Interlock Device restriction from his prior arrest, which came while he was attending the University of Washington.

Despite his previous run-in with the law, the Buccaneers chose Seferian-Jenkins in the second round of the 2014 draft, picking him 38th overall. Seferian-Jenkins was unable to live up to that selection in Tampa Bay, where he battled injuries and posted underwhelming production. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder appeared in just 16 total games in his first two seasons and made 12 starts, combining for 42 receptions on 77 targets to go with 559 yards and six touchdowns. Seferian-Jenkins registered three catches, 44 yards and a score in the Buccaneers’ first two games this year, but he didn’t start in either contest.

Given his youth and draft pedigree, someone could claim Seferian-Jenkins on waivers, though his legal troubles cloud the picture. Regardless of what lies ahead for him, Tampa Bay will move on at tight end with Cameron Brate, Luke Stocker, Brandon Myers and Cross.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times first reported that the Buccaneers would cut Seferian-Jenkins. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins Facing Two Misdemeanor Charges

September 23rd, 2016 at 8:35am CST by Connor J. Byrne

8:35am: In a series of tweets, Auman offers further details on Seferian-Jenkins’ arrest. He’s actually facing two misdemeanor charges – one for DUI and another for violating the Ignition Interlock Device restriction from his 2013 arrest. Prior to being pulled over, Seferian-Jenkins was driving between 75 to 80 mph in a 55 mph zone and cut off a state trooper, per Florida Highway Patrol. He was also “agitated” and declined a breath sample.

7:50am: Buccaneers tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence around 4.a.m. ET Friday, according to Greg Auman and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Seferian-Jenkins has been in jail since 6 a.m. ET.

Seferian-Jenkins previously pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in 2013 while at the University of Washington. A year later, the Buccaneers used a second-round draft pick on him. Seferian-Jenkins has since amassed 45 receptions for 603 yards and seven touchdowns in 18 games (12 starts). The 23-year-old started the Bucs’ first two games this season and picked up three catches for 44 yards and a score.

South Notes: Bucs, Colts, Luck, Saints

June 9th, 2016 at 7:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In a bit of voluntary OTA drama on Thursday, first-year Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter sent Austin Seferian-Jenkins off the field because the tight end “didn’t know what he was doing” (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times). “I did send him off,” Koetter said afterward. “That’s between me and him. … You guys are making more of it than you need to.” Seferian-Jenkins ended up taking to Twitter right after leaving the field and posting some fired-up messages (click for links) while his teammates were still practicing, though it doesn’t appear that anything else will come of the situation.

Here’s more from the NFL’s South divisions:

With the salary cap rising each year, players who are in line for long-term deals should request specific percentages of the cap, not specific salaries, opines Mike Florio of Pro Football. One such player is Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who’s headed toward an extension and can maximize his value by focusing on the cap. As Florio points out, if Luck signs for $25MM per year under a $155.3MM cap, he’d take up 16.1 percent of the Colts’ spending ability. If the number rises to $200MM in the coming years, as it realistically could, Luck’s 16.1 percent would set him up to make $32.2MM. Agents are currently trying to make pay based on cap percentage a reality, though teams aren’t thrilled about it, multiple sources have told Florio. It isn’t a brand-new idea, per Florio, who writes that cornerback Darrelle Revis wanted a cap percentage contract from the Jets when he was holding out in 2010.
Earlier today, Saints coach Sean Payton seemed to hint that Roman Harper will make the team when he spoke about the newly signed safety, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport notes that the veteran’s contract supports that notion, as he has a signing bonus worth $80K and $150K more in the way of guarantees.
The Colts are focused on developing their younger players, but they won’t rule out a veteran signing under certain circumstances, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes. “We’re going to look and see if anyone comes on the wire and is someone coach [Chuck Pagano] and I feel can help us, but they have to meet certain parameters,” general manager Ryan Grigson said. “Age, money and things like that. We got Mike Adams. He was still able to participate in mandatory minicamp.” The Colts added Adams in June 2014 and he went on to make Pro Bowls in 2014 and 2015.
The status of guard Garrett Gilkey, who hasn’t been with Buccaneers as he recovers from knee surgery, remains murky. “I don’t know,” Koetter said when asked about Gilkey (Twitter link via Auman).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Decker, Bucs, Dolphins, Jets

September 22nd, 2015 at 9:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys‘ acquisition of Matt Cassel is more proof that Dallas is all in for 2015, Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News writes. In time, Sherrington wonders if Cassel will take the starting job away from Brandon Weeden, who is currently slated to start while Tony Romo heals up. Cassel has started 71 games, nearly four times Weeden’s total, and he might make more sense for a Cowboys team that is looking to win. Here’s more from around the NFL..

Jets coach Todd Bowles says that Eric Decker has a sprained knee and is day-to-day, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. Decker left Monday night’s game in the fourth quarter after a Colts defender landed on him following an incompletion. The wide receiver had a tremendous showing against the Colts, catching eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.
Buccaneers tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins suffered a strained shoulder and it’s expected to sideline him for 4-6 weeks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The sophomore tight end will get a second opinion on the matter, he adds.
Former Giants tight end Adrien Robinson worked out for the Dolphins today, according to a source that spoke with Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Robinson was dropped by Big Blue on September 5th as the club trimmed down to a 53-man roster.
Former Ravens wide receiver Daniel Brown worked out for the Jets today, according to a league source who spoke with the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (via Twitter). Brown was dropped by Baltimore on September 10th in favor of center Asa Jackson.

Bucs To Place Gerald McCoy, Others On IR

December 15th, 2014 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Adding injury to insult, the league-worst Buccaneers will place a handful of players on their injured reserve list today, according to head coach Lovie Smith. Smith told reporters, including Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link), that defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (knee), wide receiver Louis Murphy (ankle), and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (back) will all move to IR.

McCoy, the former third overall pick who signed a massive extension with the Bucs earlier this year, is the biggest loss for the team. However, according to Smith (via Twitter), the defensive tackle’s injured knee won’t require surgery, which is good news for Tampa Bay. Despite battling injuries this season, McCoy was his usual dominant self, posting 8.5 sacks and grading as the league’s second-best defensive tackle through 15 weeks, per Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required).

Meanwhile, Seferian-Jenkins’ back injury isn’t expected to sideline him for too long — the decision to move him to injured reserve comes as a result of there being just two games left in the season, says Smith (Twitter link).

When the series of moves becomes official, the Bucs will have three open roster spots available with which to sign free agents or promote practice squad players.

Extra Points: Burnett, Long, Adams

August 8th, 2014 at 6:59pm CST by Matt Feminis

ESPN’s staff put together a list of each team’s starter whose job is in jeopardy. Among the most notable are 49ers running back Frank Gore, Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and Packers safety Morgan Burnett. On Burnett, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky says, “When the Packers drafted Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round, the thinking was that he would start alongside Burnett. Now, there’s a chance he could start instead of Burnett. Coach Mike McCarthy likes what Micah Hyde has done at free safety, and when Burnett strained his oblique muscle this week, he put Clinton-Dix in Burnett’s strong safety spot. The Packers made a major investment in Burnett last summer with an $8.25 million signing bonus as part of a four-year extension, but he followed it with an unproductive season.”

Here’s a few miscellaneous links from around the league:

Panthers veteran linebacker Chase Blackburn is on that list, as second-year man A.J. Klein is pushing for the starting job, but Blackburn is embracing his role as mentor, writes Scott Fowler in the Charlotte Observer.
With the Eagles in Chicago to play the Bears tonight, Zach Berman of Philadelphia Inquirer writes about the relationship between Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long and Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, who helped Long get his career back on track during their time together at Oregon.
The Steelers were hoping 2012 second-rounder Mike Adams would challenge for a starting tackle job, but that’s not happening, writes ESPN’s Scott Brown. Adams has been inconsistent, and “It would be charitable to put Adams among the Steelers’ best seven offensive linemen through the first 11 practices,” according to Brown. Adams started 10-of-15 games played last season, but struggled and “earned” a -4.9 overall rating from Pro Football Focus.
Cowboys rookie safety Ahmad Dixon’s ‘Welcome to the NFL’ hit left him with a concussion, reports Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram.
The Seahawks’ secondary has established itself as the “Legion of Boom.” The Buccaneers are trying to establish the offensive equivalent, with the trio of Vincent Jackson, first-rounder Mike Evans and second-rounder Austin Seferian-Jenkins going by the “Three Dunkateers,” writes USA Today’s Jim Corbett.