The Jets have re-signed cornerback Morris Claiborne to a one-year, $7MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Gang Green entered the free agent period hoping to acquire two starting corners, and the club has now accomplished that goal. General manager Mike Maccagnan inked Trumaine Johnson to a five-year deal on Wednesday, and he’ll now retain Claiborne, whose first season in New York was considered a success.
Claiborne is a former top-10 draft pick, and although he’s generally been effective when on the field, injuries have been an issue. During the first five seasons of his career, all of which came with the Cowboys, Claiborne managed to play in more than 12 games only once, and that was during his rookie campaign.
Things were different in 2017, however, as Claiborne managed to stay healthy for 15 contests. During that time, he served as the Jets’ No. 1 cornerback, managing eight passes defensed and one interception. Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of Claiborne’s work, though, as he graded as a bottom-20 corner among 121 qualifiers.
Entering free agency, PFR ranked Claiborne as the fifth-best available corner. Of the four CBs that placed above Claiborne, only E.J. Gaines has yet to land a new deal.
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