It’s official, looks like we have a bust on our hands with Morris Claiborne, and there’s nothing to substantiate otherwise. For the 3rd straight preseason, Claiborne will miss another preseason game, and for the 2014 preseason he will have missed every game. If it’s not a knee, it’s an eblow, or it’s a shoulder, or it’s his wrist, or is tendinitis somewhere in his fragile body.
What does management think of Claiborne right now? From Stephen Jones:
“Just not worth the risk to go backwards,” Jones said after the team’s kickoff luncheon. “You know those shoulder injuries; they get sore on you quickly. After really going over it with our trainers and doctors, probably the better decision here is to let him get fully healed and then put him out there.” (ESPN)
We’re in trouble heading into the 49ers game if we start a rusty bucket like Claiborne, he’s not even that good when he’s “healthy.” I know it’s early and we’re going off one really good performance by Tyler Patmon, but if I’m Dallas I’m starting Patmon opposite Carr. I want to see how Patmon does against 1st teamers, relegate Claiborne to the slot or backup, we cannot keep playing this ridiculous game of hoping he’ll play up to his draft status – he’s not man, he just is not. We cannot count on Claiborne.
You think the Arizona Cardinals had this conversation about Patrick Peterson who was drafted #5 overall the year before Claiborne? Peterson, from LSU, has had a meteoric rise and cemented himself as a premier shutdown corner in this league. Claiborne was drafted the following year #6 overall, and here we are with this guy, “hoping”… I am done with this dude. Done.
It’s time to continue to evaluate Tyler Patmon, and if he can’t keep the job, get a free agent or draft a CB in 2015. That’s it.
I am pulling for Patmon to keep playing well, he’s done more playmaking in his short time with the team that Claiborne has done in 3 years of work, if you can call it that. I’m not alone on this. You look all over the twitterverse and the backlash is mounting against Claiborne, the anti-sentiment is skyrocketing. We know he can’t hang, and opposing teams know it too.
If we put Claiborne out there against the 49ers and we don’t bring pressure, it’s going to be a long season opener, simple as that.
I’d let Claiborne heal and trade him for a defensive lineman, get something for this guy, anything. Oct. 28th is the trade deadline.
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