The Import of the Morris Claiborne Acquisition

The Import of the Morris Claiborne Acquisition – the Kansas City signed free agent cornerback to a one-year $1.5M contract on Thursday. The reason Claiborne was available is that he faces a four-game suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and although he’s protesting that suspension he may not be available until the Chiefs host the Indianapolis Colts on October 6th in Arrowhead. 

The Current Cornerback Room

The following players are already in the CB room for the Chiefs:

• 1. Kendall Fuller
  2. Bashaud Breeland
  3. Charvarius Ward
  4. D’Montre Wade
  5. Rashad Fenton
  6. Herb Mille.
  7. Mark Fields
  8. Michael Hunter
  9. Dakari Monroe

The top five (in bold) are almost certain to make the final 53 man roster. That is, before the signing of Morris Claiborne. Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride predicted 5 CBs would be kept in his, “53 Man Roster Projection” earlier thsi week and that included: Kendall Fuller, Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward, D’Montre Wade, Rashad Fenton. By bringing Morris Claiborne aboard, the Chiefs will either go to 6 CBs on the 53 man roster or maintain 5 which means either Rashad Fenton or D’Montre Wade will be shuffled off to the Practice Squad or cut.

Claiborne’s Boom-Ability

Morris Claiborne is thought to be a Boom-or-Bust prospect at this point in this career. He’s produced 7 INTs in his 7 year career, a paltry amount for someone who was draft 6th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2012. Mike Mayock said at the time that Claiborne had the “best ball-skills” of any CB for the past several years which would include another LSU player, Patrick Peterson, who came out in 2010.

Claiborne’s Boominess could arrive immediately for the Chiefs when he is reinstated if:

• He stays healthy
• He uses the Chiefs defensive coaching staff to take a leap
• He is motivated to make his career mean something
• He takes advantage of this “contract year” deal with KC
• He is motivated by a Super Bowl contending team’s chances

Claiborne’s Bust-Ability

There’s no reason to believe CB Morris Claiborne won’t succeed in Kansas City. However, every football player has their upside and downside and Claiborne’s career seems to have taken a much lower career path trajectory than first hoped. Although Claiborne played 15 games in each of the past two seasons, he missed 32 games in the previous four seasons because of a variety of injuries. If he’s learned to take care of his body better, it bodes well for his time in K.C. but if not, he’s going to look a lot more like a bust… and not the kind they put up in Canton.

What to Expect

Claiborne will be able to begin practicing immediately and can participate in preseason games but when Morris Claiborne finishes his suspension and reports for full time duty and is able to step on the field in October, he will give the Chiefs a 3rd of 4th option at CB. Then, he should eventually be able to work his way up the depth chart. I believe he has CB #1 ability and if he’s able to realize that potential, the Chiefs will go far this year. Claiborne has said he can shut down one side of the field and if he comes anywhere close to being able to do that for the the Chiefs, the rest of the defense will get a huge boost.

Matt Verderame of FanSided points out that Chiefs GM Brett Veach has continued to take former first round picks and add them to the team:

Morris Claiborne’s flexibility to play Man coverage or drop into a Zone scheme gives Steve Spagnuolo another really good athlete to rotate in when he becomes available. When Claiborne came out of LSU in 2012, NFL.com had this analysis of his game:

“Claiborne is such a gifted athlete with uncommon body control that he runs with his man fluidly up and down the field while still keeping the wherewithal to break off at any time and get involved in plays coming across him. As a zone defender, he is simply an explosive athlete with length and can keep plays in front of him and react quick enough to meet the man at the ball.”

The Alternatives to Claiborne

The Chiefs could have gone after someone like Patrick Peterson or Jalen Ramsey via trade. However if they’d gone that route they’d have to have traded away future draft assets and then been forced to pay them more than they would have wanted to. By going at the CB issue in that way, they would also have placed themselves in the cap position of not being able to sign their own players over the next year.

The Final Take

I’m a big fan of this trade. It has loads of upside to it and even if Claiborne merely progresses a little bit, it is still a win. In fact, if he only progresses a little bit then he may end up being available to the Chiefs on an extended contract they can afford and he can continue his progression here in K.C.. An advantage for the Chiefs young corner, Charvarius Ward, is that he’ll be able to take his time developing once Claiborne is available. Even if that’s only a mental advantage, Claiborne’s presence should help him out. Another advantage is that the Chiefs could then move Bashaud Breeland into the slot where he is also better (like Kendall Fuller) while starting Claiborne and Ward on the outside.

Here’s how Walter Football graded this signing:

“A Grade  – The Chiefs had several needs on the defensive side of the ball entering the offseason. Cornerback was one such area, and it remained unfixed. It took until August, but Kansas City finally may have found a solution for that void.”

I would also have to give this trade a an “A” but, I will include a minus, because of this bust-ability. Otherwise… Brett Veach rocks!

Laddi Morse — ArrowheadOne

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