Former LSU Star Could be Low Risk, High Reward
Going into the 2016 offseason, there are several highly touted and sought after free agent cornerbacks that are about to hit the jackpot in a few weeks. Just to name a few: Kansas City’s shutdown cornerback Sean Smith is reportedly seeking $8-10 Million annually, New York Giants star Prince Amukamara is seeking $10 Million a clip, and St. Louis (Now L.A) Rams franchise cornerback Janoris Jenkins is asking for a cool $12 Million per year. Yikes.
With those price tags you can pretty much rule out the Ravens from competing in such high-priced sweepstakes.
But there’s also one really big name out there that’s not in line for a mega contract. Instead, he’s just looking for a shot at redemption, a second chance at establishing himself in the NFL, and an opportunity to put a frustrating four years in Dallas behind him.
His name is Morris Claiborne.
It seems hard to believe that it was only five years ago when Claiborne, then a Junior at LSU, was regarded was a bonafide future franchise cornerback and NFL star after an incredible 2011 season in which Claiborne was named First Team All-SEC and a unanimous All-American while winning the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award, the Jim Thorpe Award (Nation’s top DB) and finishing as a Nagurski Award (Nation’s top defensive player) finalist.
Going into the 2012 NFL Draft, scouts drooled over Claiborne’s speed, pass coverage skills, athleticism and playmaking ability. Some compared him to LSU teammate and current Cardinals star Patrick Peterson and Browns star cornerback Joe Haden, while some even went as far as calling him the next Deion Sanders.
That could have been what sold Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The Cowboys traded their 14th and 45th overall picks to the Rams for the 6th overall pick to select Claiborne, and they signed him to a four year, $16.4 Million dollar contract with a $10.3 Million dollar signing bonus that summer.
It seemed like a match made in heaven, but what ensued over the next four years was nothing short of a nightmare.
Battling a concussion, an ankle injury, and a knee injury during the course of his rookie 2012 season, Claiborne struggled at times but still managed to post a respectable fifty-five tackles with eight pass break-up’s and one interception.
The 2013 season was a rough one for Claiborne after an early-season knee injury followed by a dislocated shoulder cost him his starting position before a hamstring injury forced him to the sidelines for six weeks. In ten games, Claiborne finished with twenty-six tackles, five pass break-ups and one interception.
Amid high expectations of a breakout season, Claiborne’s 2014 season was again hampered by an early-season injury, this time a separation of the AC Joint in his shoulder. After starting the first three games of the season, Claiborne again lost his starting job. After voicing his frustrations to the team, Claiborne returned ready to fight for his job back…Only to suffer a non-contact torn patellar against the Saints five days later, brining his season to an abrupt halt. Claiborne finished the season with seven tackles and an interception in four games.
Returning faster and stronger, Claiborne’s showed flashes of his pre-injury form and had a fairly decent season in 2015 before a nagging hamstring injury cost him the final five games of the season, and finished the campaign with thirty-seven tackles and seven pass break-up’s. However, some say he played even better than the stats suggest.
Going into free agency, it looks like the verdict in Dallas is Claiborne isn’t going to return next season, but that writing was on the wall when they declined his fifth-year option last April.
But if his injury history and inconsistencies on the field loom larger than his encouraging play last season, and such play wasn’t enough to earn him a new deal in Dallas despite train wreck Cowboys of a secondary, Claiborne is certainly well worth the gamble – a low risk/high reward move for the Ravens this offseason.
After all, we are talking about an organization willing to kick the tires on Trent Richardson of all players. Comparatively speaking, given the Ravens secondary needs, signing this once highly touted prospect is a no brainer.
Claiborne’s market isn’t going to be buzzing with all of the big name corners on the market, and his salary shouldn’t be an issue either. Just twenty-six years old, if he can finally stay healthy enough to make a difference on the field, he could be an excellent value signing, and even if he hits half of his potential, we’re still talking about a solid starting cornerback.
Just not the next Primetime.
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