Now in his fourth year as an NFL player, Morris Claiborne has been thought of more as a bust rather than the Dallas Cowboys’ best cornerback. But, so far this season, that is exactly what the coaching staff thinks. Even after wide receiver Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons torched the Dallas defense for 164 yards, Claiborne drew praise from the staff for playing Jones the toughest. Claiborne knocked down one pass intended for Jones and should have had an interception in the first half as he stepped in front of a slant pattern near the goal line. So things are not perfect with the drop and Claiborne still dealing with some knee soreness, but things are definitely looking up.
Claiborne is playing with a noticeable confidence so far this season. This comes as a bit of a surprise after Claiborne missed almost all of the 2014 season after a torn patellar injury suffered during a week four game against the New Orleans Saints. His season was over and many thought his career might be over. Ironically, the year away from football is what Claiborne credits for his resurgence.
Claiborne, the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft, feels he really began to understand what it means to be a student of the game with his time off. With injuries taking away some of his pure athleticism, Claiborne has been forced to become a smarter player. Claiborne admits that his previous film study was not in-depth. Now, he is studying every detail.
So far, it seems to be paying off. “I think any time a young player comes into this league, the level of learning has to increase,” said head coach Jason Garrett of Claiborne at his Tuesday press conference.
The Cowboys gave up quite a bit in 2012 to land Claiborne in the draft, and now the selection is starting to bear fruit. The coaching staff and owner Jerry Jones have praised Claiborne’s work so far.
“It makes you wonder, 'we got Mo Claiborne, we paid an arm and a leg to get him, how in the world is he not helping us win football games,' ” Jerry Jones said on his radio show on 105.3FM The Fan Tuesday. “He’s an outstanding player. I think we are starting to see a little of it.”
This Cowboys defense needed Claiborne to step up this year. After losing a leader like defensive back Orlando Scandrick to an ACL tear, many questioned if Dallas' defense had any playmakers in the secondary. It appears they do in Claiborne. Jason Garrett has liked his fight this year. Claiborne’s confidence seems to be back, giving the Cowboys a sense they are finally getting the cornerback they thought they drafted.