Claiborne, Russell ruled out of Thanksgiving game
By Drew Davison
ddavison@star-telegram.com
IRVING —
As expected, cornerback Morris Claiborne won’t play in Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Carolina Panthers.
The Dallas Cowboys officially listed Claiborne as out for the second straight week with a hamstring injury. Claiborne injured his hamstring just before halftime against Tampa Bay on Nov. 15, and also sat out last Sunday’s game in Miami.
By missing Thursday’s game, Claiborne will have now missed 20 games in three seasons and 21 for his career. He ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee last season, missing the final 12 games. He missed six games in 2013 with a hamstring injury. As a rookie, he sat out one game with a concussion.
Rookie Byron Jones is expected to start at cornerback in place of Claiborne, as he did last week. Jones, the Cowboys’ first-round pick, rolled his ankle on the next-to-last play of Sunday’s game, but said earlier in the week he will be ready to play.
Rookie defensive end Ryan Russell (abdomen) has also been ruled out for Thursday’s game.
The other 13 players on the injury report are all listed as probable, including quarterback Tony Romo (left shoulder/ back), receiver Dez Bryant (foot, ankle, knee) and running back Darren McFadden (groin).