The Dallas Cowboys may very well have two new starting cornerbacks when the 2016 season rolls around. Morris Claiborne is set to hit the open market this offseason, and there's little reason why owner/general manager Jerry Jones would re-sign him at this point. Veteran Brandon Carr carries a $13.8 million salary into next season but not the level of play to justify the cost. As a result, both could be gone once the new league year opens next month.
Let's start with Claiborne. The No. 6 overall pick from the 2012 draft has not even come close to living up to expectations. He has missed a whopping 26 games over his four seasons in Dallas (including five this past year) and produced just three interceptions when actually on the field. He's far from the playmaker he once was in college, and at this point, it's fair to label him a draft bust.
"The Cowboys could look to bring him back on the cheap if he doesn't attract much attention on the open market, but his injury history remains a concern," said Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. "The writing was on the wall for Claiborne's future in Dallas last offseason, when the Cowboys declined to pick up the fifth-year option on his contract."
Meanwhile, Carr's enormous price tag for 2016 may be too much for even Jones to swallow. The 29-year-old is past his prime, and the Cowboys wouldn't take too big of a hit in terms of cap space by cutting him now.
"As a post-June 1 release, though, Carr would cost only $4.7 million in cap space in 2016, with the remaining $2.7 million hitting the cap in 2017," ESPN's Bill Barnwell wrote. "Under any circumstances, it's money Dallas would be better off investing elsewhere."
But where would Dallas find replacements? Byron Jones, last year's first-round pick, split his time at cornerback and safety this past season. His versatility and athleticism would fit nicely into the starting lineup in some capacity. Otherwise, the Cowboys do have the fourth overall pick in the draft. They could improve the position overnight if a particular defensive back catches their eye.
