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Claiborne doesn't disagree. He just feels the same way about himself.
Asked last week whether he should start, Scandrick said it was up to the coaches. Asked again after Claiborne's demotion,NFL Jerseys Cheap, the seventh-year player offered a stronger opinion.
Brees has thrown for 838 yards and seven touchdowns the past two seasons against Dallas.
"That's what people say," said Claiborne,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, who has one interception in each of his three seasons. "I don't feel it. I never really think about it."
"I feel like I'm still ascending as a player," said Scandrick, a fifth-round pick in 2008. "And yes, I do feel like I've earned the right to play full time."
"I think he understood that he made a mistake," Garrett said. "Guys are competitors. When they hear news that doesn't go their way, different guys react different ways. He obviously knew he didn't react the right way."
Because of injuries and inconsistent play, Claiborne hasn't lived up to expectations since the Cowboys gave up their second-round draft choice to move up eight spots and get him with the sixth overall pick out of LSU in 2012.
After meeting with Garrett, Claiborne said he apologized to his teammates Wednesday morning. After practice, several players said they supported Claiborne and understood why he felt the need to leave.
The cornerbacks will be a focal point Sunday night against Drew Brees and the Saints (1-2), who became the first team in NFL history to get 40 first downs in a 49-17 blowout of the Cowboys (2-1) last year.
Scandrick missed the first two games because of a four-game drug suspension. When that ban was rescinded last week, he returned and played about as much as Claiborne, who was beaten several times but made a clinching interception in a 34-31 victory at St. Louis.
Scandrick started a career-high 15 games last year and was one of the best players in training camp, but Claiborne got the first three starts this year because of Scandrick's suspension for violating the policy on performance-enhancing drugs. A change to the policy brought him back early.
The former top-10 pick skipped meetings and a short walk-through practice Tuesday before returning to the facility about eight hours later to meet with coach Jason Garrett,Nike Air Max 97 Buy, who said Claiborne would be disciplined but wouldn't reveal how.
"I was ready for whatever fines or anything came with that," said Claiborne, who said he hasn't been told how he will be punished. "I felt like if I stayed, who knows what would have happened. I felt like the best thing for me to do was to leave."
"I think Mo cares a lot," quarterback Tony Romo said. "I think it was something he probably wishes he would have made a different decision. In saying that, he's a good teammate and he works hard and he's going to help our football team a lot this year."
"I'm going to play a big role on this team in this game to come and in games to come down the road," Claiborne said. "I'm here to stand up and fill the shoes that I need to fill and do whatever I need to do for this team."
NOTES: Romo skipped practice Wednesday, just as he did last week before playing his best game since returning from back surgery. ... LB Justin Durant (groin) returned to practice and will likely return against the Saints after missing two games,Supply Cheap Jerseys, while LB Rolando McClain is still out with his groin problem. ... Henry Melton (hamstring), Terrell McClain (concussion) and Davon Coleman (knee) didn't practice,Wholesale Jerseys, leaving just two healthy DTs in Nick Hayden and Ken Bishop.
Claiborne said himself that he "stunk it up" against the Rams,China Jerseys, and that the late pick wasn't enough to make up for getting beat repeatedly. But that didn't mean he was ready for someone to tell him he'd lost his job.
Claiborne said he left the facility because he was angry over how the lineup change was "presented to me," not because he was being demoted. But he wouldn't offer more details.
For reasons he wouldn't fully explain, the third-year Dallas cornerback had a much harder time accepting that plan this time around.
Owner Jerry Jones even acknowledged on his radio show Tuesday that Claiborne hadn't produced like he hoped. But the former Louisiana high school star said the burden of what he cost the Cowboys wasn't a factor in Tuesday's drama.
Claiborne returned to practice Wednesday a day after walking out on the team upon hearing that he was being replaced as a starter by Scandrick.
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Morris Claiborne is backing up Orlando Scandrick and preparing to play plenty of snaps against New Orleans, just as he did in several games last year. |
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