JACKSONVILLE – Chris Clemons returned to practice Monday.
The Jaguars' Leo defensive end also spoke to the media for the first time during 2015 training camp on Monday, and when he did, the team's top returning edge pass rusher said he felt fine and in football shape.
Not that he expected anything different.
"I never felt out of it," Clemons said Monday following the Jaguars' two-hour, 20-minute practice at the Florida Blue Health and Wellness Practice Fields.
"That's one thing I don't (worry about). I don't worry about feeling out of football because they work me back into it slowly. That's the plan we've been going with since Day One."
Clemons, a 12-year veteran who joined the Jaguars as a free agent last offseason, was only one of 90 players on the team's roster to not report to '15 camp on time. He missed reporting day, but was with the team the day camp opened July 31.
He spent the first two weeks of camp on the team's active non-football injury list before being cleared to practice Monday. He worked Monday morning on a limited basis.
Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley said strength and conditioning coach Tom Myslinski on Monday said Clemons is in "very good" condition. Bradley also said he hoped to know more about Clemons' status for Saturday's preseason game against the New York Giants later this week.
Bradley added that while Clemons missed reporting day for "personal reasons," he never worried about Clemons' attention when it came to the Jaguars.
"Nothing like that," Bradley said. "I mean I think there were some things going on that maybe were some distractions for him but never about this team."
Clemons missed part of the team's 2014 offseason program and the entire voluntary portion of this past season's offseason program. He attended the team's mandatory minicamp each offseason. Clemons throughout his career often has opted to not attend voluntary offseason programs.
"My mindset is being who I am," he said. "I missed the whole offseason. Coach didn't have a problem with that. He had a problem with it, but that's the plan we had and that's the plan we're going by now. They've always given me support. The support of my teammates and coaches always matters to me.
"When I go out each and every day, and each and every Sunday, that's who I go out to play for – my coaches and my teammates."
Defensive end Jared Odrick, who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason, called Clemons' off-field dealings with teammates "great."
"He's been very honest and very truthful and upfront about everything – about all of our games and about him wanting to get back – and we're all excited to have him," Odrick said.
Clemons was asked how much he believed he needed to play in the preseason to be ready for the regular season, which begins when the Jaguars play host to the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Field September 13.
"I'm 13 years in," Clemons said. "The plan is to get back out there playing football. That's the plan we have. I just do what the coaches ask me to do."
