Cowboys Officially Pass on Claiborne's 2016 Option

To the surprise of no one, the Dallas Cowboys announced Monday that they will pass on Morris Claiborne’s fifth-year option, meaning this upcoming season will be the last on the former sixth overall pick’s current contract.

This confirms reports from last week that said Dallas had no interest in picking up the option, having seen Claiborne limp through three injury-plagued seasons, the latest coming to an abrupt end as he suffered a torn patellar tendon--an injury that will keep him out until training camp.

Today’s announcement, paired with the team’s selection of cornerback Byron Jones in the first round of the draft last week would seem to indicate that Claiborne’s time with the Cowboys is coming to an end, but executive vice president Stephen Jones insisted after the first round of the draft that Claiborne was in the team’s plans at least through 2015.  

Of course, this doesn’t mean Claiborne’s definitely going to be gone after next year. But at the moment, the Cowboys are understandably unwilling to pay the more than $11 million it would cost to ensure that he’s here in 2016.