The Cowboys have said previously that cornerback Morris Claiborne has done enough to justify picking up the 2016 option on his contract.
Now, they have to figure out when he’ll be ready in 2015, and who he’ll be surrounded with when he’s ready.
According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com, Claiborne’s health is complicating the way the Cowboys think about the position this offseason, since he might have to start the year on the physically unable to perform list because of his torn patellar tendon.
“Mo didn’t create it, but his circumstances are problematic for us as we approach what we’re doing in the offseason at that position,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said.
It gets complicated since Brandon Carr’s scheduled to make $8 million this year, and they’d like to restructure that. But with Claiborne’s status up in the air, it’s harder for the Cowboys to strong-arm Carr into a pay cut.
“As you well know, this takes two here,” Jones said. “It will ultimately fit one way or the other for us. But there’s only one part of this thing that could happen that we could do unilaterally. That’s one thing. But to have him playing for us if we have dollar considerations than that takes two of us.”
With both the free agent and draft classes thin at the position, the Cowboys may have to spend more than they want for a pair of corners who have flashed potential, but not consistent results.
