Rolando McClain Facing Third Failed Drug Test
Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain has violated the league’s substance abuse policy for the third time, according to Adam Schefter and Todd Archer of ESPN (via Twitter).
McClain obviously has a checkered history that includes having the final year of his guaranteed contract with the Raiders voided before moving to Baltimore, retiring, unretiring, and being traded to the Cowboys. However, he was a revelation in Rod Marinelli’s defense, filling in at middle linebacker and playing himself back into an NFL commodity.
Under the NFL’s policy, the third failed test will result in a fine only, and no suspension at this time. However, a fourth failed test will come with an automatic four-game suspension, according to Schefter (via Twitter).
McClain is set to become a free agent this offseason, and after spending 2014 answering some questions about his ability to take his job seriously both on and off the field, this will be a huge blow to his rehabilitated image. Any team that considers pursuing him will have the threat of a four-game suspension and the black cloud that comes with it hanging over the signing, and will most definitely be a deterrent in team’s taking a chance on him with a guaranteed deal.
NFC Mailbags: Cowboys, Panthers, Lions, Rams
We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…
- Todd Archer took a look at the Cowboys free agents, with a focus on the big names. The writer believes Dez Bryant, Justin Durant, Doug Free and Sterling Moore will be back, but he isn’t optimistic about the return of Rolando McClain and Bruce Carter. The writer notes that he is doubtful about DeMarco Murray re-signing, but he adds that his opinion changes daily.
- David Newton believes the Panthers will mostly pursue the second-tier of free agents this offseason. He mentions general manager Dave Gettleman‘s assertion that the team wouldn’t be shopping at either the “Dollar Store” or “Tiffany’s.”
- Michael Rothstein isn’t under the impression that the Lions negotiations with Ndamukong Suh will hold up talks with free agent kicker Matt Prater. The writer notes that Prater is a priority for the organization, so the timing of the Suh talks are irrelevant.
- If the Rams choose to spend some money in free agency, Nick Wagoner says Chiefs offensive lineman Rodney Hudson could be a realistic target. In regards to the team’s own free agents, Wagoner says tight end Lance Kendricks could prove to be too pricy for the organization.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cowboys, Ogletree
The Eagles shook up the structure of their front office after the regular season ended, parting ways with Tom Gamble, promoting Ed Marynowitz, and assigning new roles to Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman. These changes were initially causing some confusion around the NFL among team executives and agents, who weren’t sure who to talk to about contracts and personnel decisions in Philadelphia. So far though, agents who deal with the Eagles say nothing has changed in terms of negotiations, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News, who adds that everything on that front still goes through Roseman, with no involvement from Kelly.
Here are a few more notes from out of the NFC East:
- While it’s certainly true that the Eagles could target a cornerback in the first round of this spring’s draft, Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com says the team should use the free agent period to try to upgrade its secondary, and use the draft as a Plan B. As Sheridan points out, recent history shows that a rookie defensive back – even one selected in the first round – may not be ready to contribute immediately.
- If Cowboys owner Jerry Jones allows DeMarco Murray go elsewhere this offseason, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News sees pending free agent Mark Ingram as the next-best option. Of course, in light of Adrian Peterson‘s dissatisfaction with the Vikings, one can’t help but wonder if the long-rumored Peterson-to-Dallas connection could become a reality.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has the details on wideout Kevin Ogletree‘s new deal with the Giants, which is worth $825K and includes $25K in guaranteed money. That’s slightly more than the minimum salary for a player with Ogletree’s experience.
- Earlier this morning, we learned that Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants have yet to engage in discussions about a long-term contract.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Thursday
While most teams around the NFL are busy this week getting a look at this year’s draft prospects or finding out where they stand with their top free-agents-to-be, some clubs are still making minor roster moves. Here’s the latest from around the league, with any additional Thursday transactions added to the top of the list throughout the evening:
- According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), the Giants have re-signed offensive lineman Dallas Reynolds, who was on track to become a restricted free agent. Reynolds only played 32 offensive snaps in 2014, serving as a reserve on New York’s line. He’ll likely be in line for a minimum-salary deal.
- With Chris Jones facing restricted free agency, the Cowboys have added another punter to their roster, according to Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Australian-born Tom Hornsey signed with the team.
- As part of the process that saw him join the Cardinals‘ coaching staff, linebacker Larry Foote has been formally released by the team, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Foote, who had been set to hit the open market next month anyway, will have the opportunity to sign a new deal with Arizona this summer if he decides to continue his playing career.
East Notes: Bills, Cowboys, Eagles, Dolphins
Based on comments made by Bills general manager Doug Whaley today, Joe Buscaglia of WGR550 (Twitter link) believes free-agents-to-be C.J. Spiller, Brandon Spikes, and Da’Norris Searcy will be allowed to explore their options on the open market next month. Conversely, it sounds like the team badly wants to re-sign Marcus Easley prior to March 10 (Twitter link).
Let’s round up several more items relating to the league’s East teams….
- While Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray are receiving most of the attention in Dallas this offseason, linebacker Rolando McClain is also someone the team is “very interested” in re-signing, according to Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones (link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
- The Cowboys were pleased with Brandon Weeden‘s work as Tony Romo‘s backup in 2014, but won’t rule out the possibility of upgrading at that spot if the opportunity presents itself, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. “Everybody is always competing in this league,” Jones said. “There is nobody guaranteed anything. That includes Weeden and everybody.”
- Prior to their release of tight end James Casey today, the Eagles didn’t have any discussions about reducing Casey’s salary and keeping him, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. According to Bowen, the veteran is looking for a bigger role than he had in Philadelphia, so he may get that opportunity with a new team.
- Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes the Eagles may find a logical trade partner in the Buccaneers, since GM Jason Licht hasn’t been shy about making deals since taking over the job. In Mosher’s view, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson makes sense as a trade target for Philadelphia.
- The issue for the Dolphins when it comes to Mike Wallace isn’t as simple as cutting or keeping the veteran wideout, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who writes that the team is almost certainly trying to restructure Wallace’s deal, or get him to take a pay cut.
East Notes: Cowboys, Callahan, Tannehill
Speaking to the media in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett referred to Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray as “cornerstone players,” and said he loves them and wants both players back in Dallas. Addressing Murray specifically, Garrett added that “both sides are talking.” However, he also cautioned that “the business of the NFL is real” (three Twitter links via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and ESPN’s Josina Anderson).
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- New Washington offensive line coach Bill Callahan tells Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link) that there were offensive coordinator opportunities available for him last month, but he opted for the job in D.C. instead. I would guess that either Callahan didn’t think he’d be a frontrunner for those offensive coordinator positions, or Washington just made it very much worth his while not to explore those opportunities.
- Restructuring Tony Romo’s contract will backfire at some point, but it’s a worthwhile gamble for Cowboys, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News opines. There’s “no doubt” in Sturm’s mind that they will push a lot of the quarterback’s 2015 money into 2016.
- Quarterback salaries are what they are, Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey acknowledged on Wednesday while speaking to reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, adding that his team feels comfortable investing in Ryan Tannehill as its QB of the future.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
East Links: Romo, Cowboys, Pats, Giants
Before the action really ramps up at this week’s combine in Indianapolis, let’s round up a few links from out of the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones doesn’t think that quarterback Tony Romo is at the end of the line, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. “I still think Tony has a lot of time left, personally,” Jones said.“I heard him say anywhere from four to five years, so that’s a long time.”
- The Cowboys will approach the free agent market intent on maximizing the return on their investments, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll target top-of-the-class players, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
- Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com runs down five things to look for in the NFL combine from the Patriots‘ perspective. New England is unlikely to take a skill player high in the draft and they’ll probably target offensive and defensive linemen. On the o-line, he identifies Andrus Peat (Stanford), Cedric Ogbuhei (Texas A&M), and T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) as some of the names to watch. For defensive linemen, meanwhile, he highlights Malcom Brown (Texas), Jordan Phillips (Oklahoma), Michael Bennett (Ohio State), and others.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post looks at some of the players the Giants will have their eye on at the combine. The Giants could be in the hunt for a safety and Shaq Thompson of Washington is one intriguing option. The 6’2″, 231-pound force profiles as a safety but wouldn’t look out of place at linebacker either.
- The Eagles have hired former Jets assistant Brian Smith as their assistant linebackers coach, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Cowboys Notes: Murray, Bryant, Jones
There’s a sentiment going around that DeMarco Murray‘s production can be replaced and Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News says that’s bogus. Of course, Murray isn’t the top priority this offseason, but Sherrington feels he should be retained if at all possible. Beyond the numbers, he argues, the Cowboys offense feeds off of the powerful running style of Murray. While you ponder that, here’s some news on Dallas’ No. 1 offseason priority..
- If Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant gets franchise tagged, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com cautions not be surprised when he chooses not to show his face for the rest of the spring until he is contractually required to do so.
- Bryant took to Twitter earlier today to voice his displeasure with the Cowboys, as the staff of The Dallas Morning News notes. When a follower said that he loves how dedicated the wide receiver is to the team, he responded: “I wish They felt the same way but it’s cool.. It’s #business“
- In response to Bryant expressing that he feels the Cowboys aren’t dedicated to him, club exec Stephen Jones said “[Dez] is definitely not feeling the right vibe,” according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). In Jones’ comments earlier today, he seemed to hint that the team will lean towards hitting the star receiver with the franchise tag.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
The Giants have re-signed free-agent-to-be wideout Kevin Ogletree to a one-year contract, a source tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Ogletree joined the team back in October in the wake of Victor Cruz‘s season-ending knee injury, and didn’t see a ton of action during the season’s second half. For the year, he caught five balls for 50 yards in seven games (96 offensive snaps).
While financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known, it will almost certainly be a minimum-salary contract for the veteran receiver. For a player with his NFL experience, that would mean a base salary of $745K for the coming season.
Here are the rest of Tuesday’s minor transactions, with any additional minor moves added to the top of this list throughout the day:
- The Cowboys cut linebacker Mister Alexander, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Alexander, who spent the year on Dallas’ taxi squad, was signed to a futures deal in January.
- Cornerback Shaquille Richardson, who was selected by the Steelers in the fifth round of last year’s draft, has signed with the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Richardson didn’t survive the final round of roster cutdowns in Pittsburgh last August.
- The Jaguars‘ signing of offensive tackle Brennan Williams is now official, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Williams, a former Texans third-round pick, tweeted word of his agreement with the Jags last week.
Earlier updates:
- Offensive tackle Darrion Weems has re-signed with the Cowboys, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Weems, who has yet to actually play a regular-season snap for Dallas, had been on track to be an exclusive rights free agent, so he’ll be back for the minimum salary.
- The same goes for guard Ronald Leary, another Cowboys ERFA who re-signed with the club today, per Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Unlike Weems, Leary is a starter on the Cowboys’ line, but since he has fewer than three years of experience, he’s not yet in line for a real raise.
- According to Archer, the Cowboys also adjusted the contract for linebacker Dekoda Watson, who agreed to take a pay cut from $1.25MM to $745K. Watson’s deal with Dallas doesn’t include any bonuses or dead money, so his base salary is the only figure that changed.
Latest On Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray
This week’s combine in Indianapolis provides teams an opportunity to meet with the representatives for their prospective free agents to try to see if they can find common ground before free agency officially begins in March. And according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones plans to do just that with DeMarco Murray‘s agent, Bill Johnson, at some point this week. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the team is also expected to meet with Dez Bryant‘s reps, after not talking for months, though Jones didn’t sound convinced that a sit-down will happen this week.
As Sabin observes, the fact that Jones is uncertain about meeting with Tom Condon and Bryant’s reps suggests that the team is leaning toward simply using its franchise tag on the star wideout. That’s a notion that Jones certainly didn’t dispute.
“Right now all things being equal, it’s leaning more Dez with the franchise than it is not,” Jones said. “But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. … We don’t ever want to give up on a long-term deal. It’s something we worked on all of last year and it kind of cooled off once we got into the season. We’ll continue to see what our options are and things happen quickly as you go along. Things can go along with a lot not going on, but all of a sudden it happens.”
For his part, Bryant, who has indicated in the past that he doesn’t love the idea of being tagged, has “all but resigned” himself to that outcome, sources tell Hill. Nonetheless, even though it looks like a safe bet that the Cowboys will eventually use their tag on their receiver rather than their running back, Jones hasn’t dismissed the possibility of franchising Murray.
“I would never rule anything out,” Jones said. “Who knows what tomorrow brings? Things have a sudden way of getting kicked in and you start to get some traction on something. You go down that road and get that done. It’s dominoes.”
The Cowboys will have until March 2 to use their franchise tag, and will have until March 10 to get deals done with Bryant and/or Murray that would keep them off the open market.