Report: Adrian Clayborn Knee Injury Is Serious

September 23rd, 2012

Adrian Clayborn getting carted off the field late in the second half in Dallas was a sad sight today, but now it seems that the injury is indeed serious.

Tampa Bay Times beat writer Stephen Holder says there’s a grim look to Clayborn’s injury in the Bucs locker room and Clayborn’s teammates believe he might be done for the season.

An emotional Adrian Clayborn left the locker room here at Cowboys Stadium wearing a brace from the thigh to ankle on his right leg, and early indications are that his injury is quite serious, with several players suggesting it is season-ending.

This is a brutal blow to the Bucs’ thin defensive line.

Daniel Te’o-Nesheim replaced Clayborn, and another backup, George Johnson, was inactive for today’s game.

This will be a problematic issue for the Bucs, if Clayborn is indeed lost for the season. You don’t just pick up a high-motor, solid end off the street. Though it might be time to dial up Andre Carter.

37 Responses to “Report: Adrian Clayborn Knee Injury Is Serious”

  1. Will Says:

    Crap. The injury bug is really starting to put a dent into our chances. First Bowers who was really coming on last yr. Then our Pro Bowl guard. Now Claiborne, our second best pass rusher. These are major blows.

  2. SensibleBuc Says:

    Hopefully it’s not a patellar injury

  3. Orlandobucsfan Says:

    Damn it that’s a huge blow if it really is serious season ending I know you will keep us updated joe, have we heard how bowers recovering is going. Our defense cannot be on the field as long as they were today freeman needs to step up or get out I wonder what we can get for him?

  4. Jbrooks8604 Says:

    @ Will- Chances? Chances at what? A .500 season maybe.

  5. Chris Says:

    Too bad the injury bug can’t hit Sullivan….

  6. bucfanjeff Says:

    He hustles but hasn’t exactly had much impact. It still sucks but let’s not act like we lost a pro bowler.

    I think Freeman is being held back some. He also gets blame buy he’s a player that likes to roll out and make plays. Sullivan was absolutely awful today. That was painful to watch.

  7. Steve From Oregon Says:

    Injury or not…we should have called Andre Carter in training camp…..

  8. Macabee Says:

    Hoping that Clayborn is not seriously injured. Under the new rule one player can be designated for returnable IR. If his injury is not season-ending, he could be back this year.

    On another note, Andre Carter is not totally recovered from his injury of last year. He has visited with the Raiders twice and has not been signed and the Pats while keeping an eye on Carter, has also not brought him in. And as you all know Wallace “Hinges” Gilberry has signed with the Bengals.

  9. Mr Lucky Says:

    Does it really matter anyway? Great defenses can only do so much when your QB sucks and you don’t score.

  10. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    I may not know a lot about football, but I do know it’s bad when your 4-3 DE wears #50.

  11. J-VilleBuc Says:

    Looks like the Bucs are going to be Drafting some DE and DT in the draft next year. Mabey there’s a hidden Gem out there, Come on scouts find someone.

  12. 507 Bucs fan Says:

    Our season is done pretty much. I knew it was serious after he was injured. He’s a true warrior with relentless engine.

  13. Steve From Oregon Says:

    507 Buc Fan…..if you truly believe that….change your screen name!

  14. Patrick Says:

    Wrong! Our season is over if Freeman keeps up his poor play!

  15. 1976Buc Says:

    This is very bad news. Please keep him in your prayers.

  16. Orlandobucsfan Says:

    @steve from Oregon
    Agreed 507 Buc Fan first stop being so dramatic season over wtf seriously. Second I’m pretty sure most people on this board didn’t think we would have a shot at winning these past two games two months ago. I believe most counted this as two loses. I think they will go into Washington and play them hard but the real change will be when they work n things in the bye week coming up. Clayborne was a big blow to the D I really hope it’s not season ending. The bucs are a vastly improved team from the end of last year to now. Hell our defense is improved from last week to this week. The offense will go as far as freeman takes it and I really hope for improvement.

  17. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    Patrick is absolutely right on that one.

  18. Mitch Says:

    I wish him a speedy recovery… but I blame the loss on the play calling and the personnel packages.. Give Blount the DAMN ball. He had a nice 12 yard run and poof! gone the rest of the game. I did not like that at all. Plus, they didn’t start throwing down field until they were behind and 4 minutes left in the game.. Defense still played awesome and kept them in it. Offense get your Sh!t together!!

  19. FLBoyInDallas Says:

    We’ve got Johnson and T’eo-Nesheim but I’d be blowing up Andre Carter’s phone right about now if I were Dominik. Feel bad for Clayborn…he’s such a warrior and earns everything he gets.

    On the subject of the play calling all I can say is Sullivan is looking decidedly Jagodzinski-esque. His playbook and play calling don’t even look like they belong in the NFL. It’s embarrassing as a Bucs fan to have such an anemic throwback offense.

    I was in a sports bar today here in Dallas watching the game with a bunch of friends, and while I was cheering when our defense was on the field I had to hang my head in shame when our offense was doing their thing. What a ridiculous offense. I cannot imagine who thought this thing up but it’s laughable. Troy Aikman kept laughing incredulously in the booth because he couldn’t believe how the Bucs were running their offense.

    Truly a day of infamy on the offensive side of the ball. I was hoping someone would pinch me and I’d realize I was having a nightmare. No such luck. Damn.

  20. BucFan20 Says:

    Some people may have picked us not to win the last 2 game but the truth of it is, There is NO reason we should not be 3-0. The reason we are not is a total mind blower.

  21. Bobby Says:

    This play calling has got to change. I understand it’s a new system and they want to get comfortable in it..blah, blah, blah….they just need to open it up. Turn Freeman loose. Let him roll out on the play action and make something happen. If they respect Freeman’s ability to run it keeps the LB’s honest. I just don’t understand not using Freeman’s running ability as a weapon. You don’t even have to run him, just make the defense think you are and if the lane is there then let him get what he can get.

    I thought Sullivan would be a good play caller being a West Point guy and understanding strategy and war planning. I think I was wrong. This guy calls the most vanilla offense. We have so many weapons and if we try to make Freeman a pocket passer we are making a huge mistake. He has always been at his best when he is on the move. I think it prevents him from staring down one receiver. I hoping that Schiano sits down with Sullivan and gets this thing on track. After such a great defensive effort it was agonizing to lose this game with that kind of an offensive performance.
    If Freeman still sucks when they turn him loose then let’s look for someone else in the draft but I just want to see them let the kid play and quit coaching him to be so afraid to turn the ball over. He’s going to throw some picks but with the weapons he has he should have far more success than failures. Eli threw 3 picks but it didn’t slow their offensive game plan down.
    We have Benn, Williams, and Jackson. Push the ball down the field!!!!!

  22. Eric Says:

    But we are good at attacking the opponents victory formation snaps before losing.

  23. sandbagrudy Says:

    Draft Werner from FSU next year this years scedule is ugly as an outhouse flusie get carter for now hell bring back teen wolf styles G thunder lipps

  24. Big Marlon B Says:

    tough blow seeing Clayborn get hurt. granted, today was the first time he actually made a couple of plays….he looked pretty active in helping blow up running plays. but the defensive unit seemed pretty cohesive (yes, even including last weeks bloodbath) and losing one piece can be scary, especially with absolutely no depth. he plays with a ton of intensity and that kind of stuff can be contagious. i know it would be terrible to rush Bowers back early, so let’s hope he is way ahead of schedule and can make a return this year to contribute in a rotation.

  25. JSmalls Says:

    Is it coincidence that the pass rush was amped up after Claiborn left the field?

  26. Wilbur Says:

    wish gruden would come back ASAP!

  27. Dano Says:

    Werner from FSU is a BEAST! I would be ecstatic if the Bucs got him. It was soo frustrating watching the offense today.It did seem like Freeman never had time to throw the ball & the line isn’t doing a good job opening holes for Martin.

  28. Justin Says:

    God forbid Bennett of McCoy get hurt. The season would be officially over in that case

  29. bucfanjeff Says:

    @Bobby, you are right on point with Freeman.

  30. Patrick Says:

    If Freeman was at least a game manager like Johnson or Garcia, we would’ve won both the Giants and Cowboys game and be 3-0 right now. But he’s not. He’s playing incredibly awful.

    I’m not saying it’s all his fault, but c’mon…….a good QB finds ways to make completions and move the ball down the field. We need to stop babying him.

  31. Mike J Says:

    Bobby , I was thinking the same thing not an hour ago. Freeman’s success in 2010, he ran & presented the threat to run a lot. And why no boots?? I cannot understand it.

  32. Macabee Says:

    If we’re scouting FSU for talent next year, then it’s DE Cornellius Caradine!

  33. bucobruce Says:

    I been saying since the begining of the year the bucs were going to be good team and I think I was pretty much right we should be 2-1 if not for the crappy play calling.We will win the next 6 out of 8 games and we will be talked about as a playoff team so come on BUC FANS jump on board with me because Shiano will get this team better and better each game and he will let sullivan open more than just the first page of the play book so once again jump on board the BUCS train fans we are about to make a big push and it starts with the redskins.

  34. Have A Nice Day Says:

    Clayborne had a decent game today. Sucks to hear he is hurt.

    I wouldn’t mind seeing someone else play at the RDE spot. In 3 games there has been very little positive play coming from that position. Next man up.

  35. Adrian Says:

    Please not for a whole season!

  36. upthegut Says:

    Freeman needs to grow a set of stones. If the plays the O.C. dials up aren’t working
    check off them. Forget all those forced ball interceptions of last year. Last year is OVER. Josh, you need to stop playing “not to lose” and start saying ” I am the MAN,
    I will win this f-ing game”
    We need you to be the Ray Lewis of our offense!

  37. Miguel Grande Says:

    “Shiano will get this team better and better each game and he will let sullivan open more than just the first page of the play book”

    Unfortunately the Little General is the problem, not the solution. All year so far fans and media keep putting words in his mouth or explaining what he really meant to say but the truth is, he’s an empty suit, out of his league. He was out of his league at Rutgers, one game over .500 in his 11 year career and he was a slow learner.

    NFL means “Not For Long!”

    The more tape the opponents have on this loser, the uglier it’s going to get. The man is so stupid that he attacked the Cowgirl’s kneel down 3 times on national TV embarrassing Tampa Bay football forever. That’s even more embarrassing than killing the clock with less than 3 minutes and 2 scores behind.

    Do you really think he’s going to change? Do you really think he’s going to admit he’s wrong? Do you really think he will skip his halftime siesta, meet with his coaches, coordinators and players and make key adjustments? Do you think he will acquiesce in any manner at all, remember he said something about he only answers to some make believe figurehead upstairs?