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Morris Claiborne Injury: Updates on Cowboys CB's Knee and Recovery

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJanuary 7, 2015

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 23:  Morris Claiborne #24 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 23, 2012 in Arlington, Texas.  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne was already rehabbing one knee after having surgery in October and missing most of the 2014 NFL season. That gave him the opportunity to clean out a few things in his other knee in the hope of returning at full health for next year's campaign.    

Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the report:

Clarence Hill Jr @clarencehilljr

Mo Claiborne got his right knee scoped on Tuesday to go along with the ruptured patella tendon his left knee. He hopes to be ready for camp

Clarence Hill Jr @clarencehilljr

Claiborne said while he was still rehabbing the left knee it was a good opportunity to get the right knee cleaned out. No set back.

Claiborne might not have any setbacks in his knee, but his young career with the Cowboys has been marked by a few of them. The sixth overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft—the Cowboys traded first- and second-round picks to move up eight spots to draft him—has struggled in his first three seasons, with just three interceptions in 29 games. 

He had a dislocated shoulder he tried to play through early in the 2014 season, though he wasn't very good when he was on the field this year. In late September, Claiborne was benched by the team for poor play and walked out of a practice when the news was delivered to him. A week later, he was lost for the season with the ruptured patellar tendon.

The Cowboys will be hoping that a healthy Claiborne comes back in 2015 with a renewed vigor to be the sort of elite cornerback the team had projected him to be when they first selected him. Still, it's hard to imagine the Cowboys will go into next season without other options at the position, be it by adding a player through free agency or the draft.

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