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Claiborne: ‘I feel like I’m a totally different player from when I first started camp’
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
3:44 pm on August 27, 2012
IRVING – Expectations are high for Morris Claiborne even if he is entering his rookie season coming off wrist surgery and a knee injury.
After having the Cowboys trade up to draft him with the sixth overall pick in April, the former standout cornerback at LSU understands this. His expectations for himself are also high.
“They’re very high,” he said. “I’m going to go out and try to do my job. Keep working hard each and every day and go out and do my part.”
According to Claiborne, he’s finally healthy. Remaining that way is the next step on his journey of trying to duplicate his collegiate success at the NFL level.
“I feel like I’m taking strides each and every day,” Claiborne said. “I feel like I’m a totally different player from when I first started camp. That’s making progress and all I can do is go out each and every day working.”
Claiborne said he’s preparing to play in Wednesday night’s preseason finale, which is somewhat odd for a starter to do considering the Cowboys plan on resting most of their starters that night. But he said he wouldn’t mind the extra reps if the coaches will allow it.
Claiborne missed the Cowboys’ first preseason game and some of training camp with a sprained MCL. He also missed all of rookie mini-camp, organized team activities and mini-camp after having off-season wrist surgery.
But those injuries won’t matter once he hits the field Sept. 5 against the New York Giants. The Cowboys invested a top 10 draft pick and spent $50 million on Brandon Carr so the secondary could slow the New York passing attack. If Giants quarterback Eli Manning shreds the Dallas secondary like he did in 2011, averaging 373 passing yards per game, Carr and Claiborne are going to be questioned.
That puts a lot of pressure on a rookie. But Claiborne said he’s got an entire defense to help him shoulder the load.
“We got great players all around,” Claiborne said. “They got Brandon and traded up to get me but we also got great players around us. All we can do is just come in together. It’s not going to take (just) me and Brandon, it’s going to take everybody as one. All of us have to come together to try to get the job done.”
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
3:44 pm on August 27, 2012
IRVING – Expectations are high for Morris Claiborne even if he is entering his rookie season coming off wrist surgery and a knee injury.
After having the Cowboys trade up to draft him with the sixth overall pick in April, the former standout cornerback at LSU understands this. His expectations for himself are also high.
“They’re very high,” he said. “I’m going to go out and try to do my job. Keep working hard each and every day and go out and do my part.”
According to Claiborne, he’s finally healthy. Remaining that way is the next step on his journey of trying to duplicate his collegiate success at the NFL level.
“I feel like I’m taking strides each and every day,” Claiborne said. “I feel like I’m a totally different player from when I first started camp. That’s making progress and all I can do is go out each and every day working.”
Claiborne said he’s preparing to play in Wednesday night’s preseason finale, which is somewhat odd for a starter to do considering the Cowboys plan on resting most of their starters that night. But he said he wouldn’t mind the extra reps if the coaches will allow it.
Claiborne missed the Cowboys’ first preseason game and some of training camp with a sprained MCL. He also missed all of rookie mini-camp, organized team activities and mini-camp after having off-season wrist surgery.
But those injuries won’t matter once he hits the field Sept. 5 against the New York Giants. The Cowboys invested a top 10 draft pick and spent $50 million on Brandon Carr so the secondary could slow the New York passing attack. If Giants quarterback Eli Manning shreds the Dallas secondary like he did in 2011, averaging 373 passing yards per game, Carr and Claiborne are going to be questioned.
That puts a lot of pressure on a rookie. But Claiborne said he’s got an entire defense to help him shoulder the load.
“We got great players all around,” Claiborne said. “They got Brandon and traded up to get me but we also got great players around us. All we can do is just come in together. It’s not going to take (just) me and Brandon, it’s going to take everybody as one. All of us have to come together to try to get the job done.”
