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The Jacksonville Jaguars gave Jacques McClendon all of the snaps with the first team offense in Sunday's practice, which isn't shocking considering the team is trying to figure out who will start at the center position. McClendon had been working at right guard with the starters and center with backups, but it looks like he could get a shot with the first team on Friday against the Detroit Lions.
"We’ll take a look at Brew," Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said on Sunday. "Get some reps with the ones, but today we just wanted to get Jacques in there to see."
The first two preseason games Brewster started at center, but he quickly began losing snaps to others, including McClendon and rookie Brandon Linder. The biggest question with the center battle seems to be if the loser will even make the Jaguars final roster.
If Michael Brewster can't start, is he a worthwhile backup to keep on the roster? He has played guard in the past, but was mediocre at best and would also mean he wasn't good enough to start at center. On the other hand if Brewster wins the starting job, McClendon has been not good at right guard. It appears that McClendon is functionally a center-only, so like Brewster is he useful as a backup on the final 53-man roster?
Generally the backup offensive lineman can play multiple positions, be it both tackle spots, both guard spots or center and a guard. Neither McClendon or Brewster appear to have that ability and the team seems to think rookie Luke Bowanko might be able to, as the plan before he was injured was to give him a lot of snaps at the guard position.
Don't be shocked if on cut downs, the loser of the starting center job is off the roster.