3 Jacksonville Jaguars free agents who could be forced into retirement in 2024

2. Chris Claybrooks, cornerback

The Jaguars didn't find many playmakers in the 2020 draft but at least they found a handful of depth pieces in the later rounds. Players such as Daniel Thomas, Shaquille Quarterman, and Chris Claybrooks went on to earn backup roles. Of the bunch, Claybrooks has gotten the most playing time. Besides moonlighting as a returner, the former Memphis Tiger got a considerable amount of snaps on defense his first two NFL seasons.

While Claybrooks' playing time decreased in 2022, he was still a valuable depth piece in the Jaguars' secondary. Heading into 2023, it was fair to think he was going to compete for the primary backup job in the boundaries but he was arrested twice for a domestic battery charge, first in April and later in July. Rightfully, the Jaguars did due diligence before making a decision on him, but Commissioner Roger Goodell stepped in and placed him on the exempt list.

Players who land on the commissioner's list are not allowed to participate in practice or games but are paid while they're on it. Only the commissioner can put or remove players from the list and it's usually used as a placeholder while the league gathers evidence before absolving or punishing a player, per the NFL's Player Personnel Policy.

In Claybrooks' case, he spent the whole 2023 season on the commissioner's list. He's now set to become a free agent but there seemingly was no resolution regarding his status. But even if he's cleared and his arrests don't lead to a suspension, it's hard to see the Jags or any other club taking a chance on him when they can easily take on a younger player with a clean slate.