ARLINGTON, Texas – Morris Claiborne will miss his second-consecutive game for the Cowboys while he continues to cope with a hamstring injury.
The Cowboys released their seven inactive players for Thursday's Thanksgiving matchup against Carolina. Claiborne headlined the list as the only inactive starter. Brice Butler, Trey Williams, Mark Nzeocha, Ron Leary, Geoff Swaim and Ryan Russell joined him on the inactives list.
Byron Jones will make his second career start at cornerback in place of Claiborne. With the rookie moving down from the safety spot, J.J. Wilcox is expected to start at safety opposite Barry Church.
It's become a bit of a predictable ritual for the Cowboys to announce their inactives in recent weeks. Butler practiced fully this week after recovering from a hamstring injury, but Devin Street's continued development has kept him off the game day roster.
The same can be said for Trey Williams, who is still the odd man out in his fourth week with the team. The emergence of Robert Turbin is a big factor in that. The veteran running back carried the ball seven times for 35 yards in his debut last week, and he figures to once again be Darren McFadden's backup against the Panthers.
Nzeocha was activated to the 53-man roster from the Non-Football Injury list last week, but he has yet to make his debut in a game. Leary, Swaim and Russell have been mainstays on the inactive list the last several weeks – though Russell is currently battling an abdominal injury.
The Panthers will be without two starters for Thanksgiving, as both wide receiver Corey Brown and cornerback Charles Tillman were ruled inactive. Brown will be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie receiver Devin Funchess, while Bene Benwikere will start for Tillman.
Carolina's five other inactives are Brandon Wegher, Cameron Artis-Payne, Danny Aiken, Kevin Norwood and Ryan Delaire.
