In a less than surprising move, the Dallas Cowboys have decided not to pick up the fifth-year option on Morris Claiborne’s rookie contract (via ESPN).
Claiborne, the team’s first-round pick in 2012, has struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his three-year NFL career. The Louisiana State product played sparingly in four games last year due to a knee injury. He also missed six games in 2013 with a hamstring issue. Suiting up for only 60 percent of the Cowboys’ games over those three years, the corner has recorded 88 tackles, three interceptions and 16 passes defended.
By declining Claiborne’s $11.1 million option for the 2016 season, the Cowboys are sending a clear message here. They drafted a highly-touted corner in the form of Byron Jones in the first round of the draft on Thursday and have both Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick ahead of Claiborne on the depth chart. In reality, there’s no telling whether the former top-10 pick even has a spot on the team this upcoming season.
It’s also possible that Dallas could look to potentially trade Claiborne between now and the start of the season. Though, there wouldn’t be much value in that from both a compensation and financial aspect.
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