The list of Cowboys defensive players serving a suspension to open the season has reportedly gotten longer.
Adam Schefter and Todd Archer of ESPN reported that linebacker Rolando McClain will be suspended for the first 10 games of the season on Thursday afternoon and the Cowboys passed along the same word a short time later. It’s a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, which was also the reason why McClain was suspended for the first four games of last season.
McClain re-signed with the Cowboys this offseason after making 80 tackles and an interception in 11 starts for the team after his suspension came to an end last year. McClain missed the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program, which owner Jerry Jones said was so he could spend time with his kids although coach Jason Garrett seemed less sanguine about his absence.
With McClain out of the picture, the Cowboys will have to shuffle the deck at linebacker. Sean Lee will start with Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber’s experience starting last year likely putting them ahead of Andrew Gachkar, Damien Wilson and Keith Smith for the other two spots.
Defensive ends Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence will miss the first four games of the year serving suspensions of their own, leaving the Cowboys awfully short on defense come September.