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Morris Claiborne is a perfect fit on Jets defense
By Michael Pallas
The New York Jets have signed former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne as he’s a perfect fit for their defense.
It was a frustrating season for cornerback Morris Claiborne in 2016. First, he missed two months with various injuries. then the Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round, a game Claiborne left after the first half. Before getting injured, Claiborne was a stud at cornerback and if he stays healthy with the New York Jets next season, would be a perfect addition on defense.
There is no doubt his health is a question mark after missing nine weeks in 2016. In addition, he has missed 41.25 percent of the possible games over the course of his career. Injuries notwithstanding, his career arch seems like it is ascending. He had his best season ever, according to James Parks of CBS Sports, Claiborne allowed a passer rating of 63.0 and a completion percentage of 51.9% in 2016.
On the other hand, the Jets had one of the worst secondary units in the NFL. They allowed 63.7 completion percentage, three touchdowns, 203 first downs, and a passer rating of 97.1.
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Turnover stats are flashy, and Claiborne hasn’t had more than one interception in a season, but being a cornerback is about more than just picks. You need to stop your man too.
Cutting off half of the field, which Claiborne was slowly showing he could do, is important. The 2017 NFL Draft is also rich in talent at the cornerback position, and teaming him up with another shutdown corner will do wonders.
The Jets want to play aggressively on defense. Having a guy like Claiborne covering half the field allows them to do so. He’s a perfect fit for the Jets’ defense and could very well be their next defensive cornerstone.