Latest On Cowboys’ Rolando McClain
FRIDAY: McClain was not in attendance at camp Friday, leading the Cowboys to place him on the reserve/did not report, per Archer. The Cowboys can now fine McClain up to $30K for each day of camp he misses, though chief operating officer Stephen Jones didn’t reveal Friday whether the team plans to do that. The Cowboys have been in contact with McClain’s agent, Pat Dye, Jones said.
THURSDAY: Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain was not on the team’s Thursday charter flight to Oxnard, Calif., where it holds training camp, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News was among those to report (on Twitter). McClain now has until Friday at 8 a.m. PT or 2 p.m. PT to report to camp, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Those times represent when the Cowboys will hold physicals and when they’ll conduct a team meeting, respectively.
McClain’s failure to show up for the team’s flight is the latest check mark against him in a career filled with them. The past month has been especially forgettable for McClain, whom the NFL suspended in June for the first 10 games of the regular season because of a violation of its substance abuse policy. The ban will cost McClain roughly $2.35MM of the $4MM salary he accepted from the Cowboys when he re-signed with them on a one-year deal during the winter. It’s also McClain’s second suspension since last year, when he missed the first four games of the season because of another substance abuse violation. Still, owner Jerry Jones has stuck by the talented 27-year-old.
“There’s a lot of reasons why we don’t cut him: cap, many reasons,” Jones said earlier this month. “But the bottom line is, I’d like to be positive about this and think that we haven’t seen the last of Rolando McClain.”
Between McClain’s suspensions, his spring decision to skip voluntary team activities (which reportedly infuriated the Cowboys’ coaches), and now his missing-in-action status as camp is set to begin, the five-year veteran hasn’t really given Jones reason to be optimistic. However, considering McClain’s solid output on the field – he graded as Pro Football Focus’ 28th-best linebacker last season – the defensively weak Cowboys aren’t exactly in position to move on from him. But they could decide Friday that McClain’s off-field issues are no longer worth putting up with if he doesn’t report to camp.
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Cowboys Not Interested In Nick Foles
Apparently, the Cowboys are content to go into 2016 with Kellen Moore as their No. 2 quarterback. Speaking to reporters today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that Dallas will not be pursuing free agent quarterback Nick Foles, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. 
“Foles isn’t an option. We wouldn’t get him any snaps. We got four that are going to get the snaps,” the Cowboys owner and GM said, referring to Tony Romo, Moore, Dak Prescott and Jameill Showers.
COO Stephen Jones went a step further, saying that the Cowboys aren’t going to look for outside help at all at QB.
“At some point you have to develop guys,” the younger Jones said Friday. “I think Cincinnati last year had a really solid football team. You look at what they did with A.J. [McCarron], a fourth-round pick out of the SEC. He came in and had every opportunity and — nothing to do with him — had a chance to win a playoff game for them.”
Last year, when the Cowboys had to rely on Moore, Matt Cassel, and Brandon Weeden, they went 1-11. After seeing what can happen without Romo in the lineup, many assumed that Foles would be a natural fit following his release.
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Three Teams In Lead For Nick Foles?
7:14pm: There are approximately 10 teams, including the Vikings, doing their due diligence on Foles, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Foles is “laying low” and could take a few days to make a decision, per Wolfson, who adds that a deal isn’t close.
1:47pm: Foles is eyeing a one or two-year deal, according to Cole (video link).
10:10am: Despite reports to the contrary, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (on Twitter) hears that the Bills aren’t among the teams interested in signing Foles.
7:53am: Nick Foles became a free agent on Wednesday and his market emerged pretty quickly. Foles is likely to sign with the Vikings, Bills, or Cowboys, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears. Cole adds that the Jets also expressed interest in Foles, though it’s not immediately clear if there is still room for the veteran after Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signed with the club on Wednesday night. 
The Vikings currently have veteran Shaun Hill and rising sophomore Taylor Heinicke behind starter Teddy Bridgewater. Hill, 36, offers plenty of experience, but Minnesota may prefer Foles as their veteran backup. Alternatively, they could add Foles and likely sneak Heinicke, a UDFA out of Old Dominion, on to the practice squad.
The Bills drafted Cardale Jones this year as a backup for starter Tyrod Taylor and although E.J. Manuel has been bumped from the No. 1 role, the team has been high on him as an understudy.
“I’m not done with EJ Manuel, either (as a backup to Taylor),” coach Rex Ryan said in February. “I think EJ’s got the talent, the size and all that stuff. Sometimes, guys just take a little bit longer to develop, so we’ll see how that goes.”
The Cowboys surprised some observers this offseason when they did not address add a veteran backup quarterback, opting instead to stick with Kellen Moore, draft Dak Prescott out of Mississippi State, and add 2015 UDFA Jameill Showers. Last year, Dallas rolled out Moore, Matt Cassel, and Brandon Weeden while Tony Romo was sidelined and they had a 1-11 record to show for it. Of the four teams mentioned by Cole, the Cowboys arguably make the most sense for Foles.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have no interest in adding Foles, coach Gary Kubiak said in a radio interview (Twitter link via James Palmer of NFL.com).
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Cowboys Notes: Gregory, McFadden
While Cowboys defensive lineman Randy Gregory is in a treatment facility, his representatives are fighting a second suspension – in addition to the four-game ban he is already faced with – that could keep him off the field for the bulk of the 2016 season.
- Darren McFadden‘s latest elbow scan was encouraging and he is on schedule to be ready for the beginning of the Cowboys‘ regular season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
Cowboys Sign Darryl Badlwin, Waive David Hedelin; Charles Brown Retires
- Cowboys offensive lineman Charles Brown has retired, reports David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). A former second-round pick, Brown never lived up to his draft status, but did start 14 games for the Saints as recently as 2013. Dallas waived him today, along with fellow tackle David Hedelin, in order to make for offensive lineman Darryl Baldwin and Cameron Bradfield.
Cowboys’ Gregory Enters Treatment Facility
2:45pm: Gregory’s reps are still working on an appeal of Gregory’s potential 10-game suspension, Werder tweets.
1:30pm: Gregory’s coming suspension will be for at least ten games, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There is concern on the Cowboys’ part that he may not play again.
12:57pm: Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory has entered a treatment facility and is not expected to report to training camp this week, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gregory had another violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy and is now facing a longer suspension than he was originally slated for, sources tell ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and Adam Schefter (Twitter link). 
Gregory, 24 in November, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide. While Gregory didn’t make any off-field headlines during his first year in Dallas, he apparently failed several drug tests, leading to his initial suspension.
Recently, Cowboys COO spoke about Gregory’s four-game suspension and expressed disappointment. Now, Gregory will be out for even longer:
“It’s disappointing, but at the same time, sometimes these things don’t get fixed overnight. Anybody who has ever been involved in this type of situation knows that sometimes it takes time. We’re there, but he’s going to have to buckle down, which he is. He’s working hard at it, but he’s got to get over the hump here. You have to be concerned. That’s the risk you get when you go there. It’s all about that risk-reward deal, but at the end of the day, we got the infrastructure in place to continue to help him. We think he’s utilizing it, but at the same time, it’s disappointing that we had this go far enough that it resulted in a suspension.”
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Cowboys To Sign Cameron Bradfield
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Cameron Bradfield, according to Bradfield’s agent Andy Simms (Twitter link). Contract specifics haven’t yet been released, but it’s likely a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal.
[RELATED: NFL investigating Ezekiel Elliott allegations]
Bradfield, who will turn 29 in September, was part of a contingent that auditioned for Dallas at the beginning of June. It’s entirely possible that the Cowboys are simply adding Bradfield as a camp body, as the club famously has one of the best offensive lines in the league. Three members of the club’s front five — left tackle Tyron Smith, center Travis Frederick, and right guard Zack Martin — earned second-team All Pro honors last season. Right tackle Doug Free, meanwhile, is no slouch, and left guard La’el Collins was considered a first-round prospect before unfounded legal issues caused him to go undrafted in 2015.
The Cowboys also have enviable depth up front, as the club boasts veterans Ronald Leary (who could be traded) and Joe Looney on the interior, and former third-round pick Chaz Green at tackle. Bradfield, though, has his own merits, though he didn’t appear in the NFL last year. Bradfield has played in 41 games (27 starts) during his career, and was a starter for the Jaguars from 2013-14. He’s bounced around the past few seasons, and most recently inked a futures deal with the Cardinals before being waived at final cutdowns last year.
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Cowboys Notes: Elliott, Durant
Cowboys first-round rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott is currently a suspect in a domestic violence report, but there’s skepticism about its veracity from within the organization. One Cowboys source informed Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the club thinks a Columbus woman’s allegations that Elliott assaulted her are flat-out untrue, but it warned the ex-Ohio State star to be more careful. Meanwhile, a team source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com, “The kid, we’ve done our research on him (before he became a Cowboy), it doesn’t point to that (being) part of his nature. That’s all I know.'”
- The Cowboys gave linebacker Justin Durant, who signed with them Monday, an $80K bonus and a $120K base salary guarantee on the one-year deal inked with the team. Durant will count $680K against their salary cap (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
NFL Investigating Ezekiel Elliott Allegations
2:36pm: Elliott’s father, Stacy Elliott, issued a statement to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link):
“The reported allegations and Internet postings regarding our son are completely false. Ezekiel has done nothing wrong. The police have investigated this matter and eyewitnesses have verified the lack of any wrongdoing. The actual evidence in this matter clearly indicates what the real motivation was behind the police being called. We are confident that when the truth comes to light it will reveal the falsity of these claims. Ezekiel has been fully cooperative with the police and will continue to do so—along with cooperating with the NFL—moving forward.”
11:40am: Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been named a suspect in a domestic violence police report, as first reported by TMZ Sports. Elliott, meanwhile, has denied any wrongdoing and was not arrested. The Cowboys do not believe that the allegations have merit either, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram hears (Twitter link). Hill hears that Elliott broke off the relationship and the alleged victim said she would ruin him if he did, leading to the accusations (via Twitter).
Still, per protocol, the NFL is looking into the allegations, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. 
[RELATED – Jerry Jones: Cowboys Coaches Fought For Rolando McClain]
“[W]e begin a review when we become aware of a potential violation of the personal conduct policy,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said via email.
The accuser filed a report with the Columbus, Ohio police department on Friday morning, saying she was assaulted by Elliott, who she says is her former live-in boyfriend. The woman says that she was sitting in the driver’s seat of her parked vehicle when the running back struck her. The accuser cited pain in her wrist and a red mark, but refused medical treatment. Elliott not only denied striking the woman, but he also said that he never lived with her. One person with Elliott’s agency told TMZ: “I can assure you [the allegations] are not true.”
While the police report was filed today, Florio says it is unclear whether the alleged misconduct happened before or after the Cowboys used the No. 4 overall pick to select the Ohio State product.
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NFC East Notes: Pederson, Cowboys, McClain
When Chip Kelly came to the Eagles, he offered a reputation as an innovator. Doug Pederson doesn’t come with that same rep, but he does offer many years of experience as an NFL player, which he says helps him to connect with his guys. 
“Back when I played, the head coach was more kind of up here,” Pederson said to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, holding his hand high. “I don’t want to be up here. I want to be right down here with the guys. That’s why I love what I do with these players every single day . . . I’m going to dive in there with the players. I know exactly what they’re thinking. I know when it’s time to give the players a break. That’s the beauty of having been a player. You know when enough’s enough. I feel it’s important to have those relationships with the players. You’re not going to have it with all 90 guys on the roster. But you’re going to have them with the majority of the guys each and every day. You walk around practice and you talk to them. It doesn’t have to be football-related. That’s the beauty of this thing. I get to talk to them one-on-one every single day. Find out how they’re doing. That’s the beauty of being in this chair. I get to do that. That’s what I love doing.”
Under Pederson, can the Eagles win the NFC East for the first time since 2013? While you ponder that, here’s a look at their competition:
- It has been speculated that that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is one of the few voices in the Dallas front office that doesn’t want to cut ties with troubled linebacker Rolando McClain. This week, Jones disputed that notion in a radio interview. “Everybody lobbied to have McClain on the team. Every coach that’s associated with the team lobbied for that,” Jones said (via The Dallas Morning News). “To be fair to everybody concerned, we didn’t know that he was going to get suspended. But his issues were potentially recognized, maybe not to the extent that he would lose the games that he got in this suspension. But make no mistake about it: With all of his warts, he still considered a potential asset for the team by the coaches.” McClain will be suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. To help fill the gap, the Cowboys recently signed veteran linebacker Justin Durant.
- It has been reported that rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith will not play in 2016, but, publicly, Jones will not shut the door on the possibility (link via The Dallas Morning News). In late 2015, Smith was viewed as a potential top-10 selection in the upcoming draft. However, that all changed when the Notre Dame standout tore his ACL and MCL in January. When Smith fell into the second round, the Cowboys pounced.
- The Redskins didn’t make a strong effort to bridge the gap with Kirk Cousins before last week’s contract deadline, but that’s not necessarily a reflection on how the team feels about the QB, Mike Jones of The Washington Post writes.
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