Dallas Cowboys: Grading Rolando McClain Re-Signing

The Dallas Cowboys decision to sign Rolando McClain initially seemed like a laughable desperation move, but the suddenly shrewd Cowboys now look like geniuses for helping to right McClain’s career. Formerly a first-round bust, the 25-year-old Alabama product is now one of the league’s better middle linebackers after recording 81 tackles in 14 appearances for the Cowboys last season, and he was definitely a key player at the heart of an improved defense.

However, despite McClain’s injury history and lack of a proven track record, it seemed like he was looking to pull big money. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. He received some interest from the New England Patriots yesterday and took a trip to the LB-stacked Super Bowl champs, but I’m guessing the Patriots taught McClain a lesson about what his market really looks like.

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After leaving Foxboro without accepting a contract (though he did receiver an offer), McClain, per ESPN’s Ed Werder, has signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys. His new contract is worth $3 million with an extra $1 million in incentives, so you can only imagine how little the thrifty Pats offered him, though I’m sure their interest in McClain was only cursory.

In any case, McClain is back with the Cowboys, and it was always the best fit for both sides. Sean Lee will hopefully return to health again, and, if he does, the Cowboys could have one of the league’s better linebacker trios with McClain manning the middle after his breakout campaign in 2014.

The 81 tackles look impressive enough, but they don’t do justice to what McClain brings to the table for the Cowboys. Per Pro Football Focus, he was first among 35 qualifying inside linebackers in Run Stop% and nobody was even close (Luke Kuechly was 2.9% away in second place). When asked to blitz, McClain was also efficient in that regard, earning the third-highest Pass Rushing Productivity score at the position.

A well-rounded linebacker who can make plays on the stat sheet, McClain is clearly an every-down player in a league that places extreme importance on linebackers who can make a positive impact against the pass and run. It’s important for middle linebackers to make plays and stuff running backs, and McClain definitely showed that he can do that.

But, as we knew from his inconsistent days with the Oakland Raiders, he’s also athletic enough to make a big impact in coverage, and he’s arguably one of the NFL’s best inside linebackers in coverage. Throw in his ability to rush the passer in a pinch, and you have one of the game’s best all-around linebackers.

Despite how well McClain played last season as the Cowboys best player on defense, they simply couldn’t afford to give him a deal that lasted longer than one season; that much has always been obvious. I think it’s interesting how quickly McClain accepted his deal from the Dallas Cowboys following his visit to New England, and it confirms the belief that staying in Dallas was always his best option.

And yet you look at the deal he’s getting and you can’t help but feel that the Cowboys are getting the better end of it. I haven’t seen any guaranteed money reported, so the Cowboys could be off the hook if McClain gets injured or pulls more of his twice-retired antics. It’s hard to see him pulling anything strange, though, because he played so well last season and is likely more motivated than ever to replicate his success so that he can finally earn some real money. And if that weren’t incentive enough, the $1 million is a decent sweetener.

Whatever the incentives are, let’s just hypothetically state that Rolando McClain earns them. If that’s the case, then he’ll make $4 million for, perhaps, the same level of play that he achieved last season. He’ll be just 26 when the season starts, is athletic, and is coming off of a season in which he dominated in all facets of the game. If he plays as well as he did last year- and I’m not willing to bet against him- then the Cowboys are getting a steal here. McClain is especially valuable to a Cowboys defense thin on difference-makers, and it’s, unfortunately, unlike they can’t count on anything guaranteed from Lee.

Nov 27, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker Rolando McClain (55) catches a pass before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Essentially, the Cowboys had to get something done with McClain or risk losing one of their best players on defense, whereas McClain wouldn’t have earned as much money or received as good of an opportunity/fit anywhere else. This deal had to happen, and hopefully McClain can prove himself.

The one-year deal and minor incentives are unsurprising, and, honestly, neither is the cheap pay. But that doesn’t stop this from being a good deal from the Cowboys, because, unlike in years past, they patiently waited for McClain’s market to shape and pounced when they saw that McClain realized he isn’t as valuable (yet) on the open market as he initially thought.

Here’s to hoping for another big season from McClain, because there’s nothing like a good success story that isn’t a one-year wonder and that amounts into some financial gain.

Update: Werder reports that the Patriots deal was structured similarly to the offer McClain accepted from the Cowboys, so I’l give the ‘Boys a minor grade bump.

Final Grade: A-

Next: Should Cowboys draft this star out of Texas?

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