@ESPNDallas: The #Cowboys see McClain as a big part of their future, starting alongside Lee next season. Dallas Cowboys want to keep Rolando McClain long term By Tim MacMahon | October 6, 2014 3:00:56 PM PDT IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are ready to declare the Rolando McClain experiment a tremendous success. Through four games played this season, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain has 19 tackles, one sack and one interception. In fact, executive vice president Stephen Jones readily acknowledged that the Cowboys front office considers the middle linebacker as a significant part of the franchises foundation for the future, envisioning McClain starting alongside Sean Lee next season. We want to keep good football players that do the right thing on and off the field, Jones said during a Monday appearance on 105.3 The Fan. Everything we see so far from Rolando is hes one of those guys. I certainly see a situation where were going to be trying to sign him to a long-term contract and keep him here with the Dallas Cowboys. Hes certainly made a difference. He goes about his business the way we want to see them go about their business. I think hed be a great complement in there with Sean Lee in terms of the way Sean plays the game. It may be a situation where if he were the Mike and Sean moved over and played some Will for us, it may help Sean in terms of the wear and tear on his body. Theres a lot of thoughts there. Were more focused on whats going on here right now, but he falls in that same category as DeMarco [Murray]. I know hes somebody that wed like to keep around here. McClain signed a nonguaranteed one-year, $700,000 contract when the Cowboys acquired his rights from the Baltimore Ravens, a deal which will cost Dallas a sixth-round pick in exchange for the Ravens seventh-rounder. The Cowboys traded for the twice-retired McClain because they were desperate to replace Lee, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on the opening day of organized team activities. The deal has worked out as well as the Cowboys possibly could have hoped, as McClain has played a key role on a drastically improved Dallas defense. He is fulfilling the potential that made him an eighth overall pick before personal issues detoured his NFL career. Hes a top-10 pick in the draft and I think were seeing around here why he was, Jones said. He certainly had some things that held him back in his career, but he seems to have put a lot of those things behind him and he looks like a top-10 player. Hes making plays like that. Hes big, hes physical. As anyone can see who watches the game, when he hits you, you go down. He has range. If McClain keeps this up, hell have an offer with a big raise to return to the Cowboys in the offseason.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 21:17:10 +0000