Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain visiting the Patriots

AP

The Cowboys took a flier on Rolando McClain last year when nobody wanted him.

And after a solid season as an injury replacement, the twice-retired linebacker has found some interest.

According to Todd Archer and Field Yates of ESPN, McClain is visiting the Patriots today.

The Cowboys had expressed some degree of interest in bringing him back, but as with most matters this offseason, weren’t eager to overspend to keep him.

McClain’s facing a four-game fine for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, but no suspension. But with that hanging over his head and his off-field adventures throughout his career, it’s natural that the market for him has been slow, regardless his play last year.

35 responses to “Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain visiting the Patriots

  1. The Patriots can keep him on the straight and narrow and he can help out in a role playing position…and get a ring before he retires.

  2. Signs with Pats for FREE. That way, no fine $$$. Besides, then he get to associate with Brady, GOAT. Most players in the league would give up their complete salary just to play with him. Right Pats fans?

  3. Probably brought him in because Hightower and Mayo will be rehabbing from surgery this year and last year, respectively.

  4. It would add an quantumly larger deterent to substance and PED usage if the NFL prohibited suspended players from contacting/being contacted by, visiting, trying out, working out or in any way seeking a new deal, until AFTER they had served their suspension.

  5. Mayo may very well refuse to take a pay cut/restructure. If the Pats were to cut him(after he passes his physical), somebody would pay him, despite coming off an injury. Pats may be just kicking the tires on a potential plan B.

  6. Poor Danny Amendola is probably hiding in his locker! McClain once body slammed him WWE style.

  7. grogantomorgan says:
    Mar 30, 2015 2:15 PM
    Probably brought him in to make Dallas overpay ….
    __________________________
    Why does everyone say this. Everyone said the same thing with Murray/Philly…wasn’t true.

    For Dallas fans this is at least a sign they are going about things the right way.

  8. McClain was actually a pretty decent player for Dallas last season. The problem is that if you give him a multi-year deal, or any real money, he’s going to go right back to being a knucklehead, running with his buddies in Alabama, and retire again.

    Loves the paychecks, not the game.

  9. Decent football player, but comes with a 5-cent head. Stopgap for Hightower rehab and if Mayo won’t restructure. Wouldn’t touch him unless desperate.

  10. couldn’t agree with above poster more. Guy is only going to play hard enough to get a big contract and some guaranteed money…and then poof, he will be gone.

    Also agree that there is a good chance he goes to jail for insurance fraud as well. house on the market, un-occupied, and it suspiciously catches on fire. Sure it had nothing to do with him giving his homeboy $100 and a can of gas.

  11. Dallas should not let him go. He played very well considering he wasn’t in football shape and basically off the street. Give him a 2 year deal with a lot of incentives. He was the driving force of Dallas’ defense and their improvement last year. Lee will mostly likely not play the entire year and their 2 recent LB signings aren’t close McClain’s ability. He is young and according to Sabin, and other folks, a smart guy. Resign him Dallas!!

  12. Insurance for Hightower most likely. Give him a 2 year deal with some incentives (for instance if you don’t get in trouble you double your pay.)

  13. Man I’m tired of teams letting the patriots sign these players that got a lot of talent…the other teams act like they’re too good to have a player with a not so good background and then the league calls Bellichick a genius when that said player turns out to be great..all he is doing is saying screw their history if they can play sign them up…idk if bellichick is a genius or these other teams are just dumb as hell

  14. “idk if bellichick is a genius or these other teams are just dumb as hell”

    Both in a lot of cases. There are about a half dozen well run, well coached, well managed teams in the league. Most of the rest have one or more of a horrible front office, a horrible coaching staff, a horrible scouting staff and horrible cap management.

    That results in too many bad players that are usually too poorly coached to stand a chance against the good franchises.

  15. 5 cent head? Starting middle backer for a Nick Saban defense as a true freshmen. Taught Hightower how to play linebacker. He is familiar with our style of defense. Mclain has some mental issues hes dealing with, when the helmet comes on hes special.

    Go Pats!

  16. Dallas should not let him go. He played very well considering he wasn’t in football shape and basically off the street. Give him a 2 year deal with a lot of incentives. He was the driving force of Dallas’ defense and their improvement last year. Lee will mostly likely not play the entire year and their 2 recent LB signings aren’t close McClain’s ability. He is young and according to Sabin, and other folks, a smart guy. Resign him Dallas!!
    ———————-
    He was good, when he played! At the tail end of the season he broke down and missed some playing time. He is already guaranteed to miss 4 weeks with the suspension, so how much do you pay him? That is the issue. If he wants to come back with an incentive based, low guaranteed contract, yes bring him back.

  17. I’m a Jet fan and I’m gonna say this would be a smart signing with their LB corp almost decimated from injury.

    The guy retired twice because he had legal problems he needed to take care and said his heart wasn’t into football at the time and that had a lot to do with what he was dealing with, his mind wasn’t into the game at that point in time. I doubt he would take a one year deal with Dallas once Sean Lee got injured just for a paycheck, he wanted to play.

    And all this Arson crap if there were any suspicion that he did it or an ounce of proof he gave his friend $100 worth of gas he would of been investigated and charged by now kinda like how Hernandez was charged only a week after he killed Odin Lloyd.

  18. He’s only 25 and will turn 26 before the start of the season. I expect Bill will give him a one year deal with an option year for the Pats. If he plays well he can go into free agency like so many guys have from the Patriots before him. The Pats get a quality player for one year and a compensatory pick if he signs elsewhere in free agency. Win-win. If he has a smart agent he’ll jump at the opportunity.

  19. footballluvindude says:
    Mar 30, 2015 3:49 PM
    Dallas should not let him go.
    ———————-
    He is already guaranteed to miss 4 weeks with the suspension, so how much do you pay him?

    Read the article. It says four game checks…no suspension.

  20. In my opinion, he’s gone. As with Murray, Dallas will not overpay him. If someone throws the money he wants at him, let him go. If I’m Dallas, unless he accepts a cap friendly deal, I let him walk.

  21. Waiting for the shoe to drop re; the arson investigation of his home burning down. My guess is the Cowboys are feeling the same way.

  22. Football Luvin Dude- McClain broke down because he was signed off the street and didn’t play for 2 years. This year he will be in football shape and will have the year to prepare. He didn’t have injury issues in Oakland. Saban is a good evaluator of talent and won’t just say sign this guy after sitting for 2 years unless he is very good. McClain is young, very talented, and has a high football IQ. Resign him Dallas or he will be a Pro Bowler in NE!!

  23. Seems like more and more teams are having to weigh performance on the field against behavior off it. McClain balled pretty hard last year for Dallas. But then you don’t know what will come of his house fire caused by arson. You don’t know when he will want to retire again.

    Dallas needs all the help they can get on defense so I hope they resign him, but I guessed if they really wanted him back they already would have.

  24. Dude hates practice..Belichek loves practice..

    Yep, I see this working out..

  25. Saying he has a 5 cent head is being nice about it, he’s as dumb as they come.

  26. If he indeed has at least the Cowboys and Patriots courting him, you have to admit that McClain’s options are pretty solid.

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