FRISCO, Texas – Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne spent Tuesday afternoon hitting home runs for charity. It's exactly where both wanted to be: giving back to the Dallas-area community and getting ready for another season as Dallas Cowboys.

"I feel great. I'm back with my teammates for another year, back in the community," Carr said at Reliant's Fifth Annual Home Run Derby to Benefit Salvation Army, held at Frisco RoughRiders Dr. Pepper Ballpark.

There was plenty of speculation that both the Cowboys' starting cornerbacks from 2015 would not return to the roster in 2016.

With one year remaining on the five-year, $50.1 million contract he signed in 2012, Carr agreed to reduce his 2016 base salary by more than $3 million (from $9.1 million to under $6 million) to remain in Dallas.

His reasoning was simple.

"My family, first and foremost," he said. "We've been here for four years and my kids absolutely love the community, love the city of Dallas. My teammates, of course – those are my brothers. We spent four hard years and been through some things here. And just the community, the foundation (Carr Cares). I felt strongly that I needed to stay here for my foundation and those schools that we have different programs in right now."

Claiborne had an opportunity to leave through unrestricted free agency but ultimately decided to return on a one-year contract.

The sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Claiborne battled injuries throughout his rookie contract. In 2015 he worked diligently with the athletic training staff to return from a torn patellar tendon in his knee suffered during the 2014 season. He started 11 games last year alongside Carr, the most since his rookie season.

"I knew I wanted to stay in Dallas and I would rather be nowhere else but here," he said. "It's the only place I know. I'm so used to the guys and the coaches that are here."

With both veterans back, and Orlando Scandrick returning from a knee injury that sidelined him all of last year, the Cowboys' top three cornerbacks remain on the roster. They also see potential in sixth-round draft pick Anthony Brown, who had a fourth-round grade on their draft board.