If the box is 1/2" back you already have a violation but let's put it 1/8" back and you still don't have it made up tight to the box. I assume the thinking is the screw is bonded to the yoke with the spring clip and a couple threads worth of contact with the box ear bonds the screw to the box.
I agree with you, it stinks.
That will probably operate the breaker in a fault condition but I would not count on it giving you a noise free ground for your electronics and it will probably arc a bit before it welds and becomes a bolted fault.
