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Are Dallas Cowboys Pursuing Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE Adrian Clayborn?

Could Adrian Clayborn see a career revival in Dallas, where the coaches have shown a penchant for succeeding with reclamation projects?

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Adrian Clayborn could be on the Cowboys' free agency radar.

Dallas is just one of the teams interested in Clayborn, and they could easily lose out if a bidding war erupts for Clayborn's services. But back in January, our own Michael Sisemore argued that Clayborn could be the next reclamation project for Rod Marinelli.

Clayborn was a 2011 first-round pick for the Buccaneers, but his career never really took off in part due to injuries, and he was even labeled a "disappointment" by the Tampa Bay media. Clayborn missed 28 games in his first four seasons in the league, including all but one game in 2014: the 26-year-old suffered a season-ending biceps injury in the season opener and now enters free agency with a lot of question marks.

Touted as a dynamic pass-rusher leading up the 2011 NFL Draft, Clayborn has been an inconsistent pass rusher in the NFL so far, though in his two healthy seasons, 2011 and 2013, he did record 7.5 and 5.5 sacks respectively. But at 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, he could find a role somewhere in the Cowboys defensive line rotation.

And what's to say Clayborn couldn't turn into the 2015 version of Jeremy Mincey?

Clayborn is clearly in the second tier of free agent pass rushers, but he could be just the type of reclamation project the Cowboys have had success with in the past.

We'll find out in due course whether and how much the Cowboys are interested in Clayborn. Until then, do you think Dallas is the right place for Clayborn to look for a career revival?

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