Clary has surgery, could miss season
A recent surgery has cast doubt on whether Jeromey Clary will play this season.
The Chargers guard underwent hip surgery about a week ago, sources said. It’s his second such operation in three months and third overall in the past six. Although the Physically Unable to Perform list contains a wide window in which a player can be activated and return to the field, it is not considered a lock he will play this year.
Clary, 30, played through a number of injuries last season.
He missed a January playoff loss in Denver due to a shoulder injury that required February surgery. For a good portion of the season, he played through a hip injury that worsened with time. He hoped to avoid surgery, but on May 19, after the ailment failed to respond to treatment, it was performed in Vail, Colo.
Clary would’ve had difficulty to return by Week 1.
This recent surgery sets him back further.
It is unclear when or if Clary will play for the team again, given this is the final year under his contract. He was due to make $4.5 million prior to accepting a July pay cut. His new $1.6 million base salary is fully guaranteed.
There are core veteran leaders in the Chargers locker room. Clary is one of them.
In the 2006 draft class, he wasn’t the most talented player physically; he was selected in the sixth round, 187th overall. But he’s made a career out of more intangible qualities. He primarily played right tackle in his career before moving inside to guard after the Chargers drafted tackle D.J. Fluker in the first round last year.
He slid outside to right tackle at times in 2013.
“He’s tough as the day is long,” offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris said this year. “He’s dependable. He’s honest. He’s fair. He’s a competitor, and he’s productive. I can’t give you any better words than the words I just told you. I think the guy’s got a lot going for him, and he’s good for our team.”
The Chargers have prepared for his absence.
Johnnie Troutman worked at right guard this preseason and is expected to start in the veteran’s place. In May, reserve guard Chris Watt was drafted in the third round. He is developing at center as well.
A player on PUP such as Clary is required to miss a minimum of six weeks in the regular season. A five-week window then opens during which he can return to practice at anytime. A player has 21 days from the day he begins practicing to be activated onto the 53-man roster. If either deadline passes, the player is moved to season-ending injured reserve.
Theoretically, Clary can be activated onto the 53-man roster as late as Dec. 9 for Week 14 in the regular season.
It is considered plausible he won’t be.
