The LEO that Head Coach Gus Bradley used in Seattle while DC, and the guy that came over to Jacksonville and had 8 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 PDs, 3 STFs, 1 Fumble Recovery, and 36 tackles while not remaining on the field all the time has been removed as the starting LEO.

He will only come in on 3rd downs to keep him fresh.  He did not come to the voluntary portion of the Jaguars offseason and his only preseason game against the Lions he was injured during the game.  After 12 years in the NFL is his time ending this season?  Would it have ended sooner had Fowler Jr not been injured?

 

"I’m looking forward to week one. Right now, I’m still in a grind mode and getting myself prepared to play week 1 and staying healthy throughout the season and being productive.’’- Chris Clemons said (source Florida Times Union)

 

with Branch being injured does that put Ryan Davis as the starting Leo and then Chris Smith except on 3rd downs with Clemons in the mix?


“The dilemma for us right now (at Leo) is figuring out the reps in a game,” Bradley said. “How many does Chris Clemons get? Chris Smith? Ryan? How do we spread out these reps at the Leo spot? That’s what we need to take a look at" (source Jaguars.com)

 

Clemons is currently on active/NFI after he missed the first day of training camp for personal reasons. "I won’t get into that,’’ Bradley said. "The injury thing we knew in talking to him that it could be a strong possibility. There’s still some things we need to work with him personally but he’s here and I appreciate that." With Clemons sidelined, Andre Branch is working as the first-team LEO rusher. Aug 1 - 4:45 PM (Florida Times Union)

 

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So what is the real story with Chris Clemons?  Can fans expect him to play with the same intensity he did last year at times, or is he going to have a Jason Babin kind of last year of his career?

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I think Smith gets the start, with Davis and Clemons sharing those 2nd/3rd down snaps.

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They like to rotate them out and keep them fresh and Chris Smith is strong enough to stop the run so that does make a lot of sense!

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They like to rotate them out and keep them fresh and Chris Smith is strong enough to stop the run so that does make a lot of sense!

Yup, he sets the edge pretty well. I think Smith plays well enough to keep the job until Fowler is healthy.

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I am still sad about Fowler Jr., because most likely when he does come back next year (for all things that matter he is still kind of a rookie) and some players never come back a 100% after that injury.

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We trust Clem to come in ready to be productive. All that stuff about not showing up to the voluntary stuff has been his routine since he came into the league. If he harasses the QB I don't care.

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No pain, no gain.

...[in] his only preseason game against the Lions he was injured during the game. 

 

 

I don't recall him being injured? What happened?


 

The team has not announced an injury report for week one, but I'm hoping when they do he's not on it.

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'02

My question is why is chris clemons is benched? 

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My question is why is chris clemons is benched?

Don't think its really benching him, just keeping him fresh.

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Clemons is no longer on the non-football injury list, and is a "go" for Carolina.  As mentioned above, it's a long season and the current plan is to limit his older body to 3rd downs.  Of course, that could change as the situations dictate.  

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My question is why is chris clemons is benched? 

 

Partly because of his absence, partly because age is taking it's toll.

 

I don't have high expectations for him.  His role has been reduced, it would make no sense to expect what we got out of him last season.

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"You do your own thing in your own time. You should be proud."

I read somewhere the Clemons will strictly play 3rd down only. Chris Smith will play 1st and 2nd down as LEO as well as other players getting a snap here and there at LEO to mix it up. I like Chris Smith, he has that explosive first step.

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Watch out for Skuda here. He may get as many as 5 plays a game at Leo. Depends on how tired the other players are and what pace the game is going. Davis will still be moved around much like last year. Davis is in a contract year. Keep a REAL close eye on him.

 

Branch like Lee is undependable and cannot be counted on. I would have cut Branch and made a trade for a Leo. BUT i am not the coach thank god

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I don't recall him being injured? What happened?


 

The team has not announced an injury report for week one, but I'm hoping when they do he's not on it.

 

Clemons has been out all preseason with an undisclosed injury. Clemons is expected to serve as the Jaguars' LEO rusher this season. Aug 15 - 1:19 PM
 

<div><b>Source:</b> Michael DiRocco via Twitter via Rotoworld
 
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It is interesting that his injury was never released to the public, and he held out the first two weeks of training camp for personal reasons.
 
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"It's great to see him out there," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "I think there were some things going on that maybe were some distractions for him, but never about this team."
 
</div>

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We trust Clem to come in ready to be productive. All that stuff about not showing up to the voluntary stuff has been his routine since he came into the league. If he harasses the QB I don't care.

 

Agreed, will we get the Chris Clemons that got 3 sacks in one game though?


I hope so... Especially with their plan of keeping him fresh by only playing limited times like on 3rd downs.

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Physically, I never felt out of it," Clemons said. "I don't worry about feeling out of football. They're working me back into it slowly. That was the plan from Day 1. I'm 13 years in. The plan is to get back acclimated to playing football. That's the plan that we got. They plan on bringing me in, and I just do what coaches ask me to do."

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In regards to Panthers game...

 

 

"It's a little bit different because he's mobile and moves around in the pocket," said pass rusher Chris Smith.

"The main thing we need to do first is stop the run. They run the kind of offense that [makes defenses] need to be disciplined. It's kind of like playing teams like Georgia Tech and Auburn in college. Everybody has to be disciplined and in others words, be one of 11, where all 11 guys do their jobs."

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He probably didn't even have an injury.

Probably just called Gus and said "you know I don't wanna be here, you know I don't wanna practice... I'll come to the meetings and what not, but I'm not practicing" so an injury was made up.


Vets do that kind of thing.

You could set your calendar to John Henderson faking an injury in training camp just to miss a week or two of practice.


Either that or Clem had some kind of "private" injury that's embarrassing to announce.

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<FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3><B><FONT face=Verdana color=#ff6600 size=4></FONT></B></FONT>

Clemons was placed on a non football injury/illness list during training camp because of personal reasons.

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Either that or Clem had some kind of "private" injury that's embarrassing to announce.

 

 

I'm leaning towards this.

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'02

We trust Clem to come in ready to be productive. All that stuff about not showing up to the voluntary stuff has been his routine since he came into the league. If he harasses the QB I don't care.

He came in truly out of shape this season. Even his pictures divulged this. Just think how productive he'd be if he went through the entire conditioning program. I hate to say this but barring an meltdown of other players, this may be his last season as an Jaguar.  Caldwell won't put up w\his antics especially w\better talent on the roster...

 

Tighten Up Clemons...

 

NH3...

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"AZANE"

I think Chris Smith will surprise some people this year

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