The Cowboys came into the 2012 draft looking to shore up their defense. They had the 14th pick overall and the one defensive back they really wanted wouldn’t fall that far.
LSU’s Morris Claiborne was highly touted, despite a wrist injury he’d have surgery on during the offseason.
So Dallas traded their first and second round picks and moved up to the sixth overall pick. They selected Claiborne with that pick.
He was a good cornerback, when he could remain healthy enough to play. And that ultimately was the problem.
In the five years he was on the roster, the Cowboys played in 80 regular season games. Claiborne played in just 47 of them, starting in 43.
He would have four interceptions and 151 tackles over five seasons in Dallas before moving on to the Jets and Chiefs. He was out of the NFL after the 2019 season.
Missed Opportunities
Some of the players Dallas passed on in favor of Claiborne?
Safety/Linebacker Mark Barron (nine interceptions, 710 tackles); Linebacker Luke Kuechly; and defensive lineman Fletcher Cox.
Oh, there was one other defensive back Dallas could have taken 6th in 2012. Stephon Gilmore.
Yes, the same Gilmore who has 29 career interceptions and was just signed by Dallas as a free agent this season.
Have we mentioned Jerry Jones is not the best drafter and/or trader in NFL history yet?
Road Warriors
For the fifth-straight year the Cowboys would open the season on the road. For the second year in a row they would play at New York to begin the season.
After losing their last two season-opening games, the Cowboys looked to start 2012 in better shape.
It was mission accomplished as Dallas avenged their season-ending loss to the Giants a year before. Romo threw three touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a 24-17 win over New York.
Dismal First Half
Dallas struggled over the first half of the schedule. After the Giants’ win, they dropped a 27-7 decision to the Seahawks.
They rebounded to beat Tampa Bay 16-10, only to drop two straight to the Bears (34-18) and the Ravens (31-29).
A win over Carolina (19-14) was followed by two more losses. The Giants handed Dallas a 29-24 loss at home.
The Cowboys stumbled to 3-5 on the season with a 19-13 loss at Atlanta. The fan base started calling for Garrett’s head at this point.
Second-Half Surge
Dallas turned things around with a 38-23 win at Philadelphia. After trailing 13-3 going into the final quarter, Dallas rallied for a 23-20 overtime win over the Browns.
The Cowboys fell behind 28-3 at home against the Redskins on Thanksgiving. A furious rally in the second half fell short in a critical 38-31 loss.
Dallas reeled off three straight wins over the Eagles (38-33), Bengals (20-19), and in overtime over the Steelers (27-24).
But the Cowboys could not win a third overtime game, falling 34-31 at home to the Saints. They would have to beat the Redskins on the road for the division title.
Another Season-Ending Misfire
The Cowboys would jump out to an early 7-0 lead on a Romo to Jason Witten 9-yard pass midway through the first quarter.
But Alfred Morris would rush for 200 yards and three touchdowns, powering the Redskins to a 28-18 victory.
Washington won the division. The Cowboys went home with another 8-8 finish and another year out of the playoffs.
