Could The Cowboys Be Looking To Trade CB Morris Claiborne?

Dec 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne (24) on the field before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Cowboys Stadium. The Saints beat the Cowboys 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings fans should remember the name Morris Claiborne.

It wasn’t that long ago that it was the 2012 NFL Draft and many Minnesota fans were calling for the team to take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with their #3 overall pick.  Instead, Minnesota traded down to #4 and picked up left tackle Matt Kalil while Claiborne ended up a Cowboy after Dallas traded up to #6 overall to get him.

Struggling for cap room, the Dallas Cowboys could look to unload their struggling cornerback for a low price according to an article on ESPN.com that explained why this move could happen.  The Cowboys are currently about 19 million over the salary cap and will need a big restructure from some key players and to release some players who are earning more than their contract is worth.  Claiborne is entering the third year of his backloaded four year deal and is currently set to be a cap hit of over 4.4 million dollars this season.  Although trading him won’t solve their problems, it will earn them a draft pick and free up cap space at the same time.

Here are his statistics over two years with the Cowboys:

Sep 8, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) celebrates his fourth quarter touchdown with Morris Claiborne (24) against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 36-31. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

25 games played

22 starts

2 interceptions

14 passes defended

1 forced fumble

3 fumble recoveries

1 defensive touchdown

67 tackles

The 24 year old cornerback underwent shoulder surgery this offseason and is currently healing from that procedure.  Earlier last season, Claiborne had a hamstring injury that caused him to miss six games.  It isn’t clear at this team whether or not the Cowboys are worried about his durability, but it could definitely hurt his value, along with his inconsistent play, if Dallas tries to trade him.

If the Cowboys do decide to put Claiborne on the trading block, should the Vikings be interested?  And what would the fair value be for a struggling cornerback on a team desperate to free up cap space?  Any way you look at it, the situation in Dallas will be interesting this offseason.