Dallas Cowboys: Morris Claiborne grades low; more takeaways

1. Morris Claiborne isn’t producing

The Dallas Cowboys really took a hit this year when they lost Orlando Scandrick for the season during training camp, and in my humble opinion, they’ve not recovered from it.

It has been five weeks, and from what I’ve seen this season, Claiborne isn’t playing up to his first-round talent (but has he ever?) and the Cowboys are really suffering in the defensive backfield for it.

Bryson Vesnaver of ProFootballFocus.com wrote about the Cowboys’ defensive back, as he graded him as the second-worst defensive back in all the NFL in Week 5. Claiborne graded at -4.8 this week. Here is what Vesnaver had to say about Claiborne:

"“Claiborne was targeted only four times. But, he allowed all four to be completed, and even worse, allowed 80 yards after the catch. When your average catch allowed goes for 30 yards, you definitely didn’t have a great day.”"

This season Claiborne has played in all five games, where he’s defended just two passes and made 13 tackles. He has zero interceptions, forced fumbles or touchdowns on the season. He is filling the role previously held by Scandrick before his injury, who last season totaled 56 tackles, two interceptions, nine passes defended, two forced fumbles and one sack.

We’ll see if Claiborne can get to the type of numbers Scandrick did last season in 14 games, but he’s really going to have to pick up his pace. The problem for the Cowboys is there is really nobody else to turn to this season.

Next: Positives from Tyron Smith