“I Got Cleared To Play Yesterday”
December 23rd, 2014
Adrian Clayborn got plenty of face time on the Bucs-Packers broadcast on FOX, patrolling the sidelines with his teammates.
Will he be back next season?
The Bucs’ starting left defensive end, before being lost after opening day with a pectoral injury, Clayborn will be an unrestricted free agent in a matter of weeks.
Today, Clayborn told Joe that he feels great and, “I got cleared to play yesterday,” meaning Bucs doctors have signed off that Clayborn is ready to start doing football activities.
However, Clayborn is on injured reserve and can only continue to rehab.
Lovie Smith raved about Clayborn’s work ethic in the summer and likened it to Gerald McCoy’s. Joe recalls defensive line coach Joe Cullen saying the same thing.
Unlike many players on IR, Clayborn often is seen by media in the locker room during the season. Clearly, he’s engaged and has stayed part of the team.
Joe wouldn’t be shocked if the Bucs considered offering Clayborn a prove-it kind of contract.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:17 pm
I’m always OK with “prove it” contracts.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:20 pm
I believe Clayborn is a high motor guy when healthy and we are a team in desperate need of this kind of defensive lineman. He was out of position at RDE. Prove it contract sounds worth it.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Fine by me. Sign him to a team friendly contract and let him be part of our line depth until he proves he can stand out.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:26 pm
In case they havent noticed, the Bucs need all the talent they can muster at DE. Keeping him would be the wise move. And I also noticed a lot of hustle out of Bowers filling in for McCoy so props to him
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:26 pm
I forgot all about this guy.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:29 pm
I wouldn’t mind seeing him come back. Unlike Johnson, at least he tries. I’d rather see that than pure laziness.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Another stellar pick by the “rockstar.”
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:38 pm
I would only keep him if he came at a deep discount… He hasn’t been able to stay healthy and when he was healthy he performed very average… I would only keep him for depth or a rotational guy mainly in on running situations… He is garbage as a pass rusher…
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:52 pm
No one has ever questioned his motor, Keep him as a rotational player at DE.
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Ya bc 7.5 sacks as a rookie is garbage u fing clown! He got hurt and put out of position with schiano. Let him take the left end and see how he does with his hands in the dirt. At least u know he will create a push unlike Johnson who dances at contact and is soft
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:10 pm
I think we need him at LDE – more effort and greater motor than current starter.
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm
Prove it contract and bring him in! I love his motor and drive. Let him and M Johnson compete for that LDE spot! The biggest thing i need to see is him stay healthy for an entire season! that’s my biggest concern. When he is on the field he is a disruption!
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Even when 100% healthy, he didn’t get the job done. After 2 major season ending injuries, no thanks.
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:32 pm
I’d rather see a limited, but high effort, Adrian Clayborn, before Michael Johnson gets to go out there and stink it up.
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Prove it contract?
Look, he’s a bust. At best a lower tier rotation guy.
A wasted first round pick is bad enough, but we had to spend a boatload of cash on the other bust Michael Johnson.
Since we are stuck with this crap T2 that Lovie brought, we need to do better than Johnson, Clayborn and Bowers.
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Thank you if guy. Like many of the morons who post out here, whoever yea bc is ignorant if not stupid.
Posted out here last week about Clayborn’s rookie stats and his move to the other side.
I have never questioned the man’s heart and hustle, only his physical limitations due to some physical illness he suffered when he was young. I just didn’t” t think a one was warranted with that kind of problem.
Still, to move him out of his natural LDE spot just to let a non effective Naeshon have the slot was ridiculous.
At times they even had the guy in zone coverage last year. idiots.
Give the guy an incentive laden contracts and keep him. He’s not a shot commodity so the price should be right.
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Yes, I’m fine with that. “Depth” means that guys that shouldn’t be starting, aren’t.
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Gerald mccoy couldn’t play the entire season in 2010,11 and 14. Where are the concerns over his health and availability. He got 100 million not one word about his durability.
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Clayborn a agent should be doing the same as glennons finding a one way ticket out of town. Clayborn has out performed MJ is everyway where’s his 8 mil a year?
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:50 pm
i still feel like he’s got potential. Would like to see him retained.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:12 pm
he ought to be. won’t cost much, will be eminently cuttable if he doesn’t look good in training camp, and he has more motor & leadership in his dreadlocks than michael johnson has in his entire overpaid body.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:14 pm
we haven’t seen a fully health clayborn since early in his second year. i think the guy can become a michael bennet or greg spires type of DE. not a superstar but a guy who makes his presence known within a strong rotation.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:36 pm
DB55, I continue to doubt you are a Bacs fan but a poser or troll instead.
BTW didn’t you use to post all the time that McCoy would be leaving the team after this year cause his contract was up.
I had to remind you the Bucs could franchise him and keep him for at least one more year. Duhhh.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:39 pm
He completes the d line, Smith, McDonald, GMC and AC. Clay borne back to right end, ship Casper to the moon and u r good to go.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:58 pm
We could start rebuilding our D-line with worse. I always liked Clayborne coming out of college. Make it a team friendly, low cap hit, incentive laden contract and I am in for AC. Maybe if real defensive coaches put him in a position to thrive he will! Bring on the draft. Can’t wait for next year since this year was such a disappointment.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Agreed with most, keep his ass! At worst he’s depth, at best he steps and plays his way into starting. The last thing we need to do is create more holes and even less depth on this team.
Was he 1st round talent? No. Does it matter anymore? No.
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Clayborn will go make a probowl with some other team like New England. Our coaching has not been good enough to develop the talent we do have. The talent evaluators looked at Clayborn and looked at Michael Johnson and decided that Johnson is the obvious superior player, to the point that no competition was even considered. Just awesome.
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:31 pm
I love the guy- let’s offer him 3’million per year on a 4 year deal.5 million up front.
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:09 pm
Like I said he’s great against the run and he does pass rush well on the side but when he keeps getting moved or dropped into coverage how is he supposed to sack a qb covering Darren sroles? I almost list my mind that game, I was so mad I could see stars!
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:45 pm
Destinjohnny Says:
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:31 pm
I love the guy- let’s offer him 3′million per year on a 4 year deal.5 million up front.
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Oh – Hell No. Clayborn has not earned a contract like that. No one in the NFL will pay him that.
Don’t get me wrong – I want him back and Licht should work hard to make a fair deal for both sides – but guaranteeing him $5M would be really stupid.
I think a $4.5M – 2 year deal with a $500k signing bonus sounds about right. And performance incentives that provide bonuses up to $4M for each year that he gets double digit sacks would be appropriate. Tell him its a show me deal – and at the end of the 2 years – if he has performed really well – then he will get a big contract in 2017.