<
        >

          Dallas Cowboys

          Rolando McClain's future in Dallas in question

          • Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff WriterJul 19, 2016, 01:00 PM
            Close
              Jean-Jacques Taylor joined ESPNDallas.com in August 2011. A native of Dallas, Taylor spent the past 20 years writing for The Dallas Morning News, where he covered high schools sports, the Texas Rangers and spent 11 seasons covering the Dallas Cowboys before becoming a general columnist in 2006.
            Follow on X

          ARLINGTON, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones remains seduced by middle linebacker Rolando McClain's talent. A 10-game suspension hasn’t changed that any more than a four-game suspension last season affected the owner's affinity for the player.

          That’s the primary reason McClain, for now, remains on the Cowboys' roster. Jones also doesn’t want the $750,000 charge against the club’s salary cap. McClain has forfeited his signing bonus, but if the Cowboys release him there's no guarantee they get the cash back.

          The Cowboys signed McClain to a one-year, $4 million contract, including a $750,000 signing bonus, in March; the NFL suspended McClain in June.

          "When I look on balance I realize we all look and say, 'Here is a really great player that seems to not be there to answer the bell at key times,' and I see that," Jones said. "On the other hand, we have had some very successful days with him. That would be one reason for looking how things go.

          "You just want to think it through. When you find something that makes the decision for you there is no need to going into other reasons -- probably the cap situation for us."

          Vice president Stephen Jones said a final decision has not been made on McClain’s status, although they’ll discuss that next week when the coaches begin their meetings to prepare for training camp. The Cowboys have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with linebacker Justin Durant to give them options.

          “It’s not really costing us anything right now,” Stephen Jones said of McClain’s roster spot. “We will continue to monitor and see where he is and make a decision from there.”

          McClain has started 23 games for the Cowboys in the past two seasons. At times, he has been dominant. Other times, he has been average.

          “We made a final decision that we don’t want to pay the price on the cap,” Jerry Jones said. “That might not have him on the football field and may not have him on the football field as we get toward the end of the year or the playoffs.

          “I’m not making that decision at all as to whether he will be on the field. But I can make the decision that we will keep a roster spot there for him because of cap considerations.”