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Dallas Cowboys: Rolando McClain reinstated to the NFL

By Sayre Bedinger

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 14: Rolando McClain #55 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 14, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 14: Rolando McClain #55 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 14, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Former Oakland Raiders first-round pick and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain has been reinstated to the NFL after three years away.

Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain is coming back to the NFL after spending three years out of the league, per Pro Football Talk.

After three seasons to open his career with the Oakland Raiders, the former first-round pick and Alabama Crimson Tide star struggled to stay out of trouble with the league.

Starting in 2012, McClain was suspended by the NFL four times throughout his career, contemplated retirement after five years in the league, and simply didn’t seem to love the game all that much. Here’s a look at McClain’s suspensions since 2012:

  • 2012: Suspended 2 games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy
  • 2015: Suspended 4 games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy
  • 2016 (June): Suspended 10 games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy
  • 2016 (December): Suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy

But he’s always been good at football, and now it appears that love for the game has risen to the surface to go along with it.

Before he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in 2016 and his career seemed overwith, McClain put together some really nice seasons for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 and 2015.

In those two seasons, he averaged 84 tackles and had three sacks, six pass breakups, three interceptions, 18 tackles for loss, and eight hits on the quarterback.

With the Cowboys, McClain looked like the Pro Bowl caliber linebacker he was drafted to be.

Since his departure, the Cowboys have assembled arguably the best trio of linebackers in the NFL. They are probably moving on from McClain now that his reinstatement is official, but some team will want to take a look at him. At the age of 29 going on 30, he could still have a few years of really good football left in him.

I’m not sure NFL teams will be lining up to sign him, but it’s also unlikely McClain would have gone through the trouble to get reinstated to the league if he didn’t think teams were going to be interested in signing him.

Next. NFL Trade Rumors: Big names who could be on the move by Saturday. dark

This will be an interesting situation to watch as McClain gives team a rare bit of intrigue in free agency here approaching September.

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