Cowboys Expected to Release Freshly Reinstated Linebacker Rolando McClain

Rolando McClain is finally back in the NFL for the first time since 2015 after being suspended indefinitely from the league.

The only problem is, the next snap he plays in the NFL will not be as a Cowboy.

The Dallas Cowboys are releasing the former top 10 pick on Tuesday, when his reinstatement becomes official.

Cowboys will release LB Rolando McClain per source. He'll be a free agent, able to sign with any team.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 2, 2019

McClain will immediately become a free agent and look to sign with any team who is feeling lucky. The Cowboys released him because they are deep at the linebacker position and he was scheduled to make $5 million this season.

The money came at a risk because he had been out of the league for the last three seasons. Paying a linebacker who could be over the hill was not in the cards for the Cowboys, especially considering they just locked up Jaylon Smith and have yet to lock down deals for Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott.

Rolando McClain hasn’t played in a game for the Cowboys since 2015, but he was officially released today. McClain, 30, was recently reinstated. He was suspended in 2016 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. McClain can now sign with any team. https://t.co/YtOzCwPcra
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 2, 2019

It was tough to see McClain receiving playing time over Sean Lee and Leighton Vander Esch. The Cowboys are looking to win now and unfortunately had no preseason games to judge what was left in McClain's tank.

He will have to earn a spot on another roster and there will be plenty of teams willing to take a risk on the former Alabama standout. Over his career he started 61 out of 65 games and in 2011 he had 100 tackles and five sacks with the Raiders.