Cowboys Decide Not To Pick Up Morris Claiborne’s Fifth-Year Option

[Cotton]

Cowboys Decide Not To Pick Up Morris Claiborne’s Fifth-Year Option
Monday, May 04, 2015 11:04 AM CDT

By David Helman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer


IRVING, Texas – It’s not surprising, but it is official. The Cowboys have decided not to pick up the fifth-year option on Morris Claiborne’s rookie contract.

This past Sunday was the option deadline for all 32 first-round picks from the 2012 NFL Draft, as the league’s collective bargaining agreement stipulates that clubs have the choice to re-up their first-rounders for a fifth season.

Because he was taken No. 6 overall, Claiborne would have been in line for an $11 million payday next year – a one-year deal worth the average of the 10-highest cornerback salaries.

Claiborne’s lengthy injury history gave the team even less incentive to extend him, as the fifth-year salary is guaranteed in the event of an injury. Since arriving in Dallas from LSU, the cornerback has battled various injury issues, including a torn patellar tendon that sidelined him for 12 games last year.

The decision not to extend Claiborne’s contract, coupled with Thursday’s selection of Byron Jones at No. 27 overall in the NFL draft, seems an awful lot like writing on the wall. The Cowboys insist that isn’t the case, however.

During the buildup to the draft, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones and coach Jason Garrett have been sure to point out Claiborne’s work in rehabilitating his injured knee. Claiborne isn’t likely to be healthy for any of the offseason program or the start of training camp, but Cowboys executives are still hopeful he can play a role in the secondary in 2015.

The Cowboys traded up from the No. 14 pick to select Claiborne at No. 6 overall back in 2014, and he has missed 21 of 50 possible games with just three interceptions. The two picks they dealt in the trade turned into St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers and Chicago Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery.

If Claiborne can get himself healthy, he’ll likely be in a battle with Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr and Jones for playing time at the corner position.

 

[Smitty]

Claiborne for Doug Martin, who the Bucs also did not exercise their 5th year option on.

 

[townsend]

Biggest Cowboys bust?

 

[Cotton]

Biggest Cowboys bust?

Bobbeh would like a word with you.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Bobbeh would like a word with you.

Bobbeh was 18th overall and we didn't trade up for him.

 

[Cotton]

Bobbeh was 18th overall and we didn't trade up for him.

He also never started. Claiborne at least started.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

Claiborne over Carpenter. Not close.

 

[Cotton]

Claiborne over Carpenter. Not close.

You very well may be right, but let's not act like it isn't close. C'mon now.

 

[Clay_Allison]

He also never started. Claiborne at least started.

So did Rob Pettiti. That has more to do with what else we had at the position than which of them was worse.

 

[Cotton]

So did Rob Pettiti. That has more to do with what else we had at the position than which of them was worse.

I would put Claiborne and Bobbeh pretty close together, and then a big gap between them and #3.

 

[NoDak]

Claiborne over Carpenter. Not close.

Yeah. Claiborne still has a tiny, tiny chance to make something of himself. If he somehow shows something this year and is resigned, he'd come off the top spot. But as of right now, he's the biggest bust considering what we gave up for him.

 

[E_D_Guapo]

You very well may be right, but let's not act like it isn't close. C'mon now.

The reason it isn't close is because of the draft resources it took to get Claiborne as opposed to Carpenter. NoDak is right that it is still possible for Claiborne to redeem himself since he has one more year to turn things around, but it seems highly unlikely at this point that he is capable of doing so.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

So did Rob Pettiti. That has more to do with what else we had at the position than which of them was worse.

Marcus Spears started as well...

But seriously I think I'd go with Carpenter as well. Claiborne would at least be serviceable if the guy could stay healthy. Carpenter didn't have a single redeeming quality about himself. That was a miss beyond all misses.

 

[townsend]

Marcus Spears started as well...

But seriously I think I'd go with Carpenter as well. Claiborne would at least be serviceable if the guy could stay healthy. Carpenter didn't have a single redeeming quality about himself. That was a miss beyond all misses.

Claiborne was not servicable. Ending up on IR was the best thing he did for this team, Sterling Moore was an improvement.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Claiborne was not servicable. Ending up on IR was the best thing he did for this team, Sterling Moore was an improvement.

Claiborne was average his rookie and 2nd year and Moore was not an improvement by the end of the year.

 

[Genghis Khan]

You very well may be right, but let's not act like it isn't close. C'mon now.

It's not close.

 

[Cotton]

It's not close.

I disagree.

 

[townsend]

Claiborne was average his rookie and 2nd year and Moore was not an improvement by the end of the year.

Makes me wonder how Jerome Henderson keeps his job when both Claiborne and Carr have regressed so much.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Makes me wonder how Jerome Henderson keeps his job when both Claiborne and Carr have regressed so much.

The fact that Scandrick has taken a huge leap and that a guy who played 1 year of college safety is playing meaningful starter snaps at safety.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Claiborne was not servicable. Ending up on IR was the best thing he did for this team, Sterling Moore was an improvement.

How bad Claiborne was I think gets blown way out of proportion. He actually had his good games. Which the game he won with the game clinching INT was actually one of his worst last year.