Training camp for the Dallas Cowboys is officially over and everyone has left Oxnard, California to return home for the second preseason game tonight against the Miami Dolphins.
Per usual, training camp practices where packed full of positives and negatives, which leaves all of us Cowboys fans a little in the dark as to what the team will look like once the NFL season finally kicks off. Fortunately though, I’m one of those people that looks at the glass half full and tends to focus more on the positives rather than the negatives.
One of the reoccurring storylines that caught my attention coming out of training camp practices was how well Morris Claiborne has been playing. That really got me wondering whether or not he can carry that over into the 2016 season.
I don’t know what it is that has seemed to inspire Claiborne, but I absolutely LOVE what I am hearing.
This new attitude or renewed focus seemed to start right before training camp when he took to twitter and asked his fellow teammate, Dez Bryant, to hold him accountable.
https://twitter.com/MoClaiborne/status/758015394120552448
I don’t know if it’s just me or if I’m trying to read too much into it, but this one single tweet seemed to build a stronger bond between Claiborne and Bryant. That bond really seems to have brought out the competitiveness in both players and it was the battle that ensued between the two that had all eyes on them throughout their time in Oxnard.
Morris Claiborne shared with all of us an example of that mutual respect and bond once again via twitter.
https://twitter.com/MoClaiborne/status/762774931750789120
I don’t know about you, but I think both Morris Claiborne and Dez Bryant will perform better in 2016 because they mutually decided to hold each other accountable in training camp and challenged one another each and every day throughout these practices.
Claiborne has faced a lot of scrutiny throughout his first four years in the NFL, and rightfully so considering that he was drafted so highly and has struggled to remain healthy. But it looks as if things are finally starting to come full circle and he’s ready to live up to his full potential.
Injuries have been a large part of his struggles, but he hasn’t suffered any bumps or bruises (knock on wood) so far and that could be a big reason why he’s performing so well.
In fact, he’s even gotten the better of Dez Bryant several times and that’s something that can’t be overlooked when you consider the fact that Bryant is one of the more dominant wide receivers in the entire NFL.
If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll take Morris Claiborne’s word for it.
https://twitter.com/MoClaiborne/status/766013662494543872
I find these series of tweets from Morris Claiborne encouraging. Again, I may be reading too much into it, but I really think he has a renewed focus and attitude that we will see carry over into the 2016 season.
Of course, I wasn’t there personally to witness how he was performing. I have to rely on the people that are actually witnessing these practices firsthand. The Staff Writers for the Dallas Cowboys have been there through it all and put together a list of the top 10 standouts in training camp.
I bet you can’t guess where Morris Claiborne landed on that list?
“1. Morris Claiborne -This probably comes down to expectations. But don’t forget, not many people even expected Claiborne to be a training camp with the Cowboys after last year. Not only did he sign a new deal for the season, but he showed up every day. Three words to best describe Claiborne for this camp would be consistent, healthy and confident. We knew he had the talent all along but adding those other three factors made him a steady force at the cornerback position during camp. His battles with Dez were some of the most entertaining aspects of camp.”
To be identified as a top standout in training camp with a team that is as talented as the Dallas Cowboys should at the very least suggest that we might see a different Morris Claiborne in 2016.
I know that I’m starting to buy in, but I will just let Claiborne speak for himself.
https://twitter.com/MoClaiborne/status/766030340657819648
It looks to me that he has Eye Of The (LSU) Tiger. Too corny?
Do you think Morris Claiborne’s renewed focus will pay off in 2016?
Please feel free to use the comment section below to provide your thoughts and opinions on this topic.
