Terrell McClain - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Make Flurry Of Roster Moves

December 10th, 2019 at 4:55pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Oakland is coming off three straight lopsided defeats, and in the wake of the embarrassments Jon Gruden is reshuffling his roster. The Raiders are waiving veteran defensive players D.J. Swearinger, Preston Brown, and Terrell McClain while signing running back Rod Smith, the team announced today.

They also placed rookie tight end Foster Moreau on injured reserve, which was expected. Oakland has given up at least 40 points in back to back weeks, and Gruden made it clear he isn’t happy with the defensive effort. Brown, an inside linebacker, had been with the Bengals for most of this season and was starting for them before he was scooped up by the Raiders prior to this week’s loss to the Titans. Brown started almost every game for the Bills from 2014-17, but he lasted only one game with Oakland. McClain started the season with Kansas City before latching on with the Raiders for the last few games.

Swearinger was picked up by Oakland after the Cardinals cut him earlier this season, and he started three of his four games with the Raiders including their most recent loss to Tennessee. He’ll get a shot elsewhere in 2020 if not sooner. Smith is a former Cowboys backup running back, and his signing could indicate that workhorse back Josh Jacobs won’t be ready to return this week.

The shakeup comes as the Raiders’ playoff hopes have been all but dashed. Just a few weeks ago they were looking good at 6-4, but they collapsed in epic fashion. Gruden promised there would be changes following their most recent loss, and he delivered by sending almost all of their recently added guys packing.

Raiders To Sign DT Terrell McClain

October 30th, 2019 at 2:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have officially signed defensive tackle Terrell McClain, per a club announcement. The deal marks yet another destination for the well-traveled veteran.

McClain spent 2018 with the Falcons and appeared in 13 games. He hooked on with the Cardinals this offseason but was cut at the end of August, leading him to an October cup of coffee with the Chiefs. Other clubs on his resume include the: Redskins, Cowboys, Texans, Patriots, and Panthers.

In related news, the Raiders dropped linebacker Dakota Allen, defensive lineman Kasim Edebali, and Corey Liuget. Liuget played on 46 defensive snaps this season, so it wasn’t exactly the return to prominence he was hoping for.

Liuget, a former Chargers notable, had a rough 2018 season that featured a suspension, pay cut, and a season-ending knee injury. Cut by the Chargers in February, Liguet met with the Giants, Seahawks, Jaguars, and Cardinals before landing with the Raiders in August.

Chiefs To Sign Pennel, Release McClain

October 19th, 2019 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs have signed veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). To make room, they released fellow DT Terrell McClain.

Pennel, 28, was a staple of the Jets’ up-and-down defense in 2017 and 2018. Before that, he spent the first three years of his career with the Packers and appeared in 37 games (five starts). He also ran into some unfortunate trouble while in Green Bay. In 2016, he served a pair of four-game bans for substance abuse. The second suspension was supposed to be for ten games, but Pennel managed to get the second suspension reduced.

With the Chiefs, he’ll occupy the depth role that was filled by McClain over the last couple of weeks. This week, Pennel will take on his old team – the Packers – on Sunday Oct. 27.

Chiefs To Sign Stefen Wisniewski, Terrell McClain

October 8th, 2019 at 6:10pm CST by Rory Parks

The Chiefs, who are dealing with injuries to their O-line, are signing veteran Stefen Wisniewski, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets that the club is also adding a vet to their defensive front, Terrell McClain.

Wisniewski spent the last three years with the Eagles, who declined his 2019 option in March. He drew some interest on the open market, and Philly re-signed him in May, but he did not survive final cutdowns.

The 6’3″, 305-pound lineman offers experience at both guard and center and will, at the very least, provide veteran competence off the bench. He may also get a spot start here and there, and he has started at least six games per season since entering the league in 2011.

McClain, meanwhile, spent 2018 with the Falcons and appeared in 13 games. He hooked on with the Cardinals this offseason but, like Wisniewski, was cut at the end of August. He will likely become part of the Chiefs’ D-line rotation right away given that Chris Jones and Xavier Williams are both expected to miss time.

Both men have become NFL journeymen. The Chiefs will be McClain’s seventh team and Wisniewski’s fourth.

The Chiefs have also waived T Ryan Hunter.

Cardinals To Release DL Terrell McClain

August 26th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrell McClain‘s bid to be part of the 2019 Cardinals did not last past the preseason. The Cards will release the veteran defensive lineman, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.

A journeyman who spent 2018 with the Falcons, McClain signed with the Cardinals in May. The team, however, signed Clinton McDonald recently and traded for Bruce Hector last week. McClain joins Andre Branch in Cardinals front-seven pieces released in the past two days. Arizona also parted ways with former first-round lineman Robert Nkemdiche this summer.

The Cardinals used a third-round pick on defensive end Zach Allen and a seventh-rounder on end Michael Dogbe but return starters Rodney Gunter and Corey Peters. McClain, 31, was expected to be part of Arizona’s rotation up front. Hector and McDonald look to be new solution efforts for the Cardinals, who have added several depth pieces to their roster this offseason.

McClain played in 12 games for the Falcons last season but is better known for his three-year run with the Cowboys. He started 15 games for the 2016 Cowboys, who claimed the NFC’s No. 1 seed, before migrating to Washington for a 12-game stretch with the Redskins in 2017. The Cardinals would have been the former third-round pick’s seventh team.

Cardinals To Sign DT Terrell McClain

May 22nd, 2019 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle Terrell McClain will sign a one-year deal with the Cardinals, a source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). McClain played in 13 games for the Falcons last season and started five.

McClain stabilized his career with the Cowboys, playing three seasons and being a full-time starter in 2016. He used that season as a springboard to a semi-lucrative deal with the Redskins, but they released him just after the 2018 draft, leading him to Atlanta.

The former third-round draft pick, started his career with Panthers and also played for the Patriots and Texans. He has history with new Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, so he won’t have much of a learning curve in Arizona.

The Cardinals invested two draft picks in the defensive line while balancing things out this offseason with veteran additions like Darius Philon and McClain.

Falcons Sign DT Terrell McClain

May 11th, 2018 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons have won the Terrell McClain sweepstakes. The team announced an agreement with the UFA defensive tackle, and McClain will stay in Atlanta after taking an extensive post-draft tour.

McClain visited the Dolphins, 49ers, Cowboys and Falcons, making the trip to Atlanta on Friday. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports this is expected to be a one-year agreement and the max value of the contract will be more than $4MM (Twitter link).

A former Cowboys starter, McClain was in Dallas on Thursday and worked out for some of his former coaches. The Cowboys were negotiating terms with the 29-year-old defender on Thursday, and Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted (via Twitter) McClain received offers from multiple teams. Rod Marinelli wanted him to return to Dallas, per Hill, but he’ll join a sixth NFL franchise instead.

McClain stabilized his career with the Cowboys, playing three seasons and being a full-time starter in 2016. He used that season as a springboard to a semi-lucrative deal with the Redskins, but they released him just after the draft. He’ll now join a Falcons defense that houses Grady Jarrett and Jack Crawford on its interior. The Falcons were linked to Da’Ron Payne on draft night in a would-be trade-up scenario, but they stood pat and have now opted to add veteran help instead.

Falcons Meet With Terrell McClain

May 11th, 2018 at 8:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Terrell McClain free agency tour continues. On Friday, the Falcons will meet with the defensive tackle, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.

McClain is a logical fit for the Falcons on multiple levels. The veteran is a system fit for Atlanta and has the quickness to play as a 3-technique and attack from the outside shoulder of a guard. McClain also has a relationship with with Jack Crawford thanks to their time together with the Cowboys.

The 6’2″, 302-pound tackle has been a popular guy as of late. In recent days, he’s met with the Dolphins, 49ers, Cowboys. Reportedly, talks between McClain and Dallas are progressing and the Eagles also have interest in him.

The Falcons are pretty well set at defensive tackle with Grady Jarrett, Jack Crawford, and rookie Deadrin Senat. Still, they could use some reinforcements after losing Dontari Poe this offseason. The recent extension for franchise quarterback Matt Ryan opened up a bit of cap space for Atlanta this season, so they have the flexibility to add McClain if they want.

Cowboys Negotiating With Terrell McClain

May 10th, 2018 at 6:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrell McClain‘s generated widespread interest since the Redskins made him a post-draft release, and the latest from the defensive tackle’s eventful free agency stay is a possible reunion is in the works.

The Cowboys hosted McClain for a visit on Thursday, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) contract talks between McClain and his former team are progressing.

Some of the coaches McClain auditioned for on Thursday included ones he worked with during his time in Dallas, which ran from 2014-16. He started 15 games for the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2016 and parlayed that into a multiyear deal with the Redskins, who proceeded to jettison McClain after just one season.

McClain also visited the 49ers and Dolphins and has drawn interest from the Eagles and Falcons. However, the Cowboys have shown interest for a bit now and may well be the clubhouse leader to land the soon-to-be 30-year-old defensive lineman. Dallas is not particularly deep at defensive tackle, with its only notable offseason addition coming via trade. And Jihad Ward has yet to show he was worthy of the second-round pick the Raiders used on him in 2016.

Eagles Interested In DT Terrell McClain

May 10th, 2018 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles are interested in defensive tackle Terrell McClain, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Of course, they’re not alone in that regard.

The Dolphins and 49ers both met with McClain earlier this month. And, on Thursday, the Cowboys will sit down with the 29-year-old (30 in July). The Falcons are also said to have interest in the veteran, though they have yet to schedule a meeting with him.

McClain signed a four-year, $12MM+ deal with the Redskins last year. His $3.25MM base salary was scheduled to become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year, but Washington tweaked the deal to make it guaranteed for injury only. With no real financial obligation to McClain, the Redskins released him in late April.

McClain didn’t look great last year, but he had a career year in 2016 with 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He would make an interesting addition for the defending champs since defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan might not be available for the season opener. Haloti Ngata projects to step into his role, but McClain could help provide additional depth off the bench.