Roy Lang III

rflang@gannett.com

ARLINGTON, Texas – Immediately following the Dallas Cowboys’ season finale on Jan. 3, a somber Morris Claiborne, in street clothes, was hunched over the front of his locker scrolling through his cell phone.

“It seems like it was yesterday,” Claiborne told The Times, reminiscing of the night in New York he was stunned to hear the voice of Jerry Jones.

The phone call came after the Cowboys owner used a first- and second-round pick to vault eight spots and select the much-heralded LSU cornerback at No. 6 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.

“But it seems like a long time ago, too,” Claiborne said.

That night in Manhattan, it seemed as if the sky was the limit for the former Fair Park and Tigers superstar. Claiborne had just corralled the Jim Thorpe Award (nation’s best defensive back) and departed Baton Rouge a year early to pursue his dream of playing on Sundays.

Unfortunately, many of those Sundays were spent just like his last in the 2015 season -- as an observer. Words like hope, promise and expectation gave way to disappointment, injury and bust during Claiborne’s four seasons in the spotlight that comes with being a Dallas Cowboy.

“No where I’d like it to be; not even close,” the 25 year old said of the start to his professional career. “It is what it is.”

After handing over more than $16 million to Claiborne, Dallas decided not to pick up an $11 million fifth-year option for No. 24.

Now, for the first time in his adult life, the 5-foot-11, 192-pounder’s future is unclear.

“It don’t know. It’s up in the air,” said Claiborne, who wouldn’t mind another shot with the Cowboys.

However, given the baggage, a change of scenery may be prudent.

“He might need a fresh start in his career,” Bryan Broaddus, an analyst/scout for the DallasCowboys.com said. “He has had to not only deal with injury but the disappointment of not living up to the expectations of his lofty draft selection. I have to believe that it has taken its toll -- not only mentally but physically, as well. Claiborne is saying all the right things about wanting to come back and give it another go, but it will be interesting to see if the club feels the same way at the end of the day.”

An assortment of ailments caused Claiborne to miss more games (26) than the number of passes he defended (22) in four years. A concussion, plus hamstring and knee injuries limited Claiborne to 36 starts and 40 games of action in the Cowboys’ 66 regular-season/playoff contests since 2012. And he’s left several other games early.

In 2014, he became the focus of attention when he skipped practice and angrily left the Cowboys facility after he was benched for Orlando Scandrick.

Playing for his next contract, Claiborne appeared to get back on track in 2015. He completed training camp and was the Cowboys’ best cornerback in the early going. He was one of few defenders to slow Atlanta’s Julio Jones and seemed to corral the two greatest assets for a cornerback – health and confidence.

If Claiborne’s career in Dallas is over, the end – missing the final three games with a hamstring injury – was fitting.

“You have to stay healthy. Staying healthy means staying on the field,” Claiborne said. “At the end of the day that’s what it comes down to.”

The inability to find the ball, and ultimately the field, left him as the No. 109-ranked cornerback of the 119 in the NFL this season according to Pro Football Focus.

To make things worse, Claiborne is the only first-round whiff by the Cowboys in some time. Dez Bryant (2010), Tyron Smith (2011), Travis Frederick (2013), Zach Martin (2014) all earned trips to the Pro Bowl last season. Smith, Frederick and Martin will return this year.

Cornerback Byron Jones, selected 27th overall in 2015, started 11 games during his rookie year.

Claiborne has collected just three interceptions in four pro seasons. He picked off 11 passes in two seasons as a starter for LSU. “Mo’s” lone trip to the end zone (as the one with the ball) in Dallas came via a 50-yard fumble return against Philadelphia late in his rookie season.

A trying four years made it difficult for Claiborne to identify the good times, but despite goals that weren’t obtained and expectations unfulfilled, Valley Ranch will always be where his journey began.

“I’ll miss coming to work and being able to be around guys that are like a second family for me,” he said.

Ultimately, Claiborne says his next destination won’t be about redemption, but his first family.

“I have to make the best decisions for my kids and for myself,” said the father of two. “At the end of the day, I feel like that’s what it comes down to. I’m not in it alone.”

INJURY BUG

Morris Claiborne, drafted No. 6 overall in 2012, has missed 26 games due to injury in his first four seasons.

Years (games missed): Reason

2012 (1): Concussion

2013 (6): Hamstring

2014 (14): Ruptured patella

2015 (5): Hamstring

*Also had surgery on shoulder, wrist and finger

Twitter: @RoyLangIII