Terrell McClain - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys To Meet With Terrell McClain

May 8th, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have scheduled a meeting with defensive tackle Terrell McClain, Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan tweets. McClain played for the Cowboys from 2014-2016, so the team is already familiar with what he offers.

After McClain was cut by the Redskins last week, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay indicated that the team would be open to a reunion.

“We’re gonna look at opportunities to improve the team. He had a great run here and if he wants to come back we’ll definitely look at it,” the exec said.

During his time in Dallas, McClain appeared in 30 games and started all 15 of his contests in 2016.

McClain played in 30 games for the Cowboys and started all 15 he played during the 2016 season. That ’16 season represented the best of his career as he put up 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Last year, however, he graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. A change of scenery – or, rather, a return to the scenery that suited him best – could help him turn things around.

49ers Meet With Terrell McClain

May 7th, 2018 at 10:13am CST by Zachary Links

Terrell McClain‘s free agent tour continues. The defensive tackle will meet with the 49ers on Monday, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

McClain met with the Dolphins last week and left without a deal, though the door is still open in Miami. Meanwhile, the Falcons have some level of interest in McClain, but have yet to schedule a visit.

The veteran appeared in 12 games with two starts for the Redskins last year, but he did not make a mark in his first season in the nation’s capital. McClain graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, though he did manage two sacks from the interior. The Redskins terminated McClain’s four-year, $12MM+ deal three seasons early, allowing them to save $3.25MM against the cap.

The 49ers currently project to start Earl Mitchell and DeForest Buckner at defensive tackle with Sheldon Day, D.J. Jones, Chris Jones, and seventh-round pick Julian Taylor in support. The Niners are unlikely to carry more than three reserve DTs, so McClain’s arrival would crowd that group even further.

Falcons Interested In Terrell McClain

May 4th, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Terrell McClain is visiting with the Dolphins, but there are other clubs interested in his services. The Falcons have expressed some interest in McClain, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter), though they have yet to schedule a visit with him.

McClain made a name for himself while with the Cowboys, particularly in 2016 when he started in 15 contests. Last year, he signed a four-year, $21MM+ free agent deal with the Redskins, but was bumped down to more of a reserve role. This week, the Redskins released him rather than keeping him on board for a (non-guaranteed) base of $3.25MM.

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 sign McClain to a low-cost deal.

Dolphins Meet With Terrell McClain

May 4th, 2018 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

Veteran defensive tackle Terrell McClain is visiting the Dolphins today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). McClain was released by the Redskins after the draft.

McClain was being pushed out of D.C. after the Redskins selected two defensive linemen in Da’Ron Payne (first round) and Tim Settle (fifth round). McClain appeared in 12 games with two starts for the Redskins last year, but he did not make a mark in his first season in the nation’s capital. He graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, though he did manage two sacks from the interior.

The Dolphins’ defensive line got a serious makeover this offseason thanks to the departure of Ndamukong Suh and the acquisition of Robert Quinn. Then, on Wednesday, they traded for one potential starter in defensive tackle Akeem Spence.

If the Dolphins don’t sign McClain, the Cowboys could be among the clubs to show interest in the veteran. McClain spent three years with Dallas and started in all 15 of his games in 2016. In that season, he managed 2.5 sacks from the interior and 39 total tackles.

NFC East Rumors: Witten, Cowboys, Eagles

May 1st, 2018 at 9:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t seem ready to admit it, tight end Jason Witten is fully expected to follow through on retirement and become an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link), who called Witten’s shift to the Worldwide Leader a “done deal.” If Witten does indeed hang up his cleats, he could be stuck in a thorny contractual issue with Dallas. The Cowboys converted $4.7MM of Witten’s base salary into a signing bonus earlier this year, but could now ask for that money back, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Dallas released quarterback Tony Romo last summer, allowing him to retain all of his bonus money in the process, and it’s fair to wonder if the club will do the same for Witten, who is expected to command a salary of $4-4.5MM at ESPN.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Despite not adding a single defensive back in last weekend’s draft, the Cowboys are not expected to have interest in free agent safeties Eric Reid, Kenny Vaccaro, or Tre Boston, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Dallas did’t have any interest in either of the three veterans pre-draft and doesn’t believe any would fit its defensive scheme. For what’s it worth, the Cowboys reportedly tried to acquire Vaccaro at the 2017 trade deadline. Safeties in general have had a hard time generating buzz this offseason, with one agent telling Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that defensive backs aren’t getting offers of even “one year, $3MM.” For now, Dallas will likely roll with Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath at safety after moving former first-round pick Byron Jones to cornerback.
If the Redskins had released defensive tackle Terrell McClain earlier this year (instead of on Monday), he’d likely already be back on the Cowboys roster, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Dallas picked up former second-round interior defender Jihad Ward from the Raiders in a draft-day exchange that sent wideout Ryan Switzer to Oakland, but they’re still expected to express interest in McClain. The 29-year-old McClain spent the 2014-16 campaigns in Dallas, and was a 15-game starter during his final season with the Cowboys.
Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan recently underwent surgery for a herniated disc, per Howard Eskin of WIP-FM (link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer). As such, Jernigan won’t participate in spring workouts but is fully expected to be ready for 2018 regular season. Philadelphia acquired Jernigan from the Ravens last April, sacrificing just a 25-slot drop in the third round in order to land the now-25-year-old. After a productive debut year with the Eagles, Jernigan inked a four-year, $48MM extension that should keep him in town through 2021.

Redskins Release DL Terrell McClain

April 30th, 2018 at 11:28am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have cut defensive lineman Terrell McClain, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). McClain had three years left on his contract, but his base salary of $3.25MM for 2018 was not guaranteed.

McClain is being pushed out after the Redskins drafted two defensive linemen in Da’Ron Payne (first round) and Tim Settle (fifth round). McClain appeared in 12 games with two starts for the Redskins last year, but he did not make a huge impact in his first season in D.C. McClain graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus, though he did manage two sacks from the interior.

Payne projects to start at nose tackle in the Redskins’ 3-4 scheme with Settle, Ziggy Hood, Montori Hughes, and Ondre Pipkins among those vying for jobs in support. Hood is also coming off of a rough season with marks that were similar to McClain’s, so his spot on the team is not secure either. Releasing Hood would save the Redskins $150K with $1.6MM+ in cap savings.

Redskins Host DT Sylvester Williams

March 20th, 2018 at 6:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins hosted free agent defensive lineman Sylvester Williams on Tuesday, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link), while the club also has interest in fellow defensive tackle Bennie Logan but has yet to schedule a visit, per John Keim of ESPN.com.

Washington is clearly seeking to improve the interior of its defensive line after ranking 29th in rush defense DVOA and dead last in adjusted line yards in 2017. Williams and Logan join Johnathan Hankins as notable defensive tackles on the Redskins’ radar, as the former Colts defender met with the club on Sunday. Keim recently reported Washington isn’t interested in investing heavily in it defensive line, but Williams and Logan could each be available on one-year deals.

The Redskins are “working hard” to sign Hankins, tweets Finlay, so Williams and/or Logan might not be of interest to the club for much longer. On the other hand, neither of Washington’s 2017 defensive tackle additions — Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain — made much of an impact during their respective first seasons in the nation’s capital, so one or both could be released.

Indeed, Washington altered the contract of defensive tackle McClain in a way that will make him easier to release, as Keim writes. Previously, McClain’s $3.25MM base salary was scheduled to become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year, but Washington has since made that salary guaranteed for injury only. As such, the Redskins should be able to cut McClain at any point prior to the start of the regular season without being on the hook for his salary (provided he doesn’t get injured between now and then).

Williams, meanwhile, started 11 games and made 15 total appearances for the Titans in 2017, his first campaign outside of Denver since the Broncos made him a first-round pick in 2014. Last season, Williams played on roughly a third of Tennessee’s defensive snaps (third-most among the club’s defensive linemen) while posting 12 tackles. Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 67 interior defender among 122 qualifiers, assigning much better marks against the run than the pass.

Logan, 28, has caught the Redskins’ eye in the past, as he took a meeting with the team last spring before ultimately landing a one-year, $8MM pact from the Chiefs. Washington should have a good idea of Logan’s capabilities, as he played against the Redskins twice per year as a member of the Eagles from 2013-16. Last season, Logan appeared in 15 games and played on 55% of Kansas City’s defensive snaps, acting as a serviceable run-stuffer during that time. Washington could have competition for Logan, as he met with Seattle earlier today.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Cowboys, Giants

August 22nd, 2017 at 8:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While recent reports indicated LeGarrette Blount could lose his Eagles roster spot before the season gets underway, head coach Doug Pederson seemingly dismissed those insinuations today, as Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. “LeGarrette Blount is a beast of a runner,” said Pederson. “I’m excited he’s here and he’s going to be a big part of our offense.” The Eagles signed Blount to a one-year deal that contains $400K guaranteed after he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns a season ago. While there’s virtually no chance the 30-year-old Blount will match his 299 carries from 2016, he should be part of a Philadelphia backfield rotation that also includes Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnel Pumphrey.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Last year’s Josh Brown episode could potentially factor into the NFL’s dealings with suspended Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out. Brown, of course, was banned for only a single game even after admitting to abusing his ex-wife. Arbitrator Harold Henderson upheld Brown’s suspension at the time, and he’ll also be hearing Elliott’s appeal of his own six-game ban. “Mitigating factors” lead to the NFL suspending Brown for only contest, but the league has never disclosed what those factors were, per Florio.
D.J. Fluker isn’t going to earn a starting spot along the Giants‘ offensive line, and it’s possible he won’t even make the club’s roster, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. New York signed the 26-year-old Fluker to a one-year, $3MM deal ($1.5MM guaranteed) this spring, but he’s made no push to steal Big Blue’s starting right guard job from John Jerry. The Giants aren’t giving Fluker the opportunity to compete at right tackle, so the former first-round pick could be shown the door in favor of journeyman Adam Gettis.
The Redskins spent heavily on their defensive line this spring, signing both Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee to multi-year pacts. Thus far, McGee has been far more impressive in camp, but neither player has a lock on a starting job, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes. McClain, in fact, has performed so poorly that there’s been some noise he could be released, although that’s unlikely given the $7.25MM dead money hit that would come with the cut. Still, first-round rookie Jonathan Allen and others (such as Matt Ioannidis and Anthony Lanier) could be better bets for playing time.
After working out for the Bears last week, undrafted rookie linebacker Michael Scherer is set to audition for the Giants today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). Scherer, a Missouri product, appeared in 26 games for the Tigers from 2014-15 before a knee injury ended his senior season after seven contests in 2016. Ranked as one of the 30 best undrafted linebackers following this year’s draft, Scherer has yet to land an NFL contract.

Extra Points: Bears, Cutler, Bills, Gilmore, Kendricks, Eagles

March 9th, 2017 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but the Bears tried to trade Jay Cutler before releasing him on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. After his 2016 struggles, teams were not willing to take on his contract. He’s now a free agent.

Here’s more from around the NFL:.

Bills brass decided well before the 2016 season they wouldn’t pay Stephon Gilmore anything close to the $14MM/year figure he’ll reportedly get from the Patriots, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets.
There has been no movement on a potential Mychal Kendricks trade for the Eagles, a source tells Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). He’ll see his $4.35MM salary guaranteed if he remains on the roster on Saturday.
The Falcons had talks about defensive tackle Terrell McClain, according to source who spoke with Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, McClain will be joining up with Washington on a multi-year deal.
The Eagles have some interest in bringing back Stefen Wisniewski, Mike Kaye of First Coast News tweets. Wisniewski has the ability to play either guard or center and did well in starts at left guard last season.

Redskins To Sign DT Terrell McClain

March 9th, 2017 at 10:54am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins will sign free agent defensive tackle Terrell McClain to a four-year, $21MM+ deal, tweets Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post.

One of the more underrated free agents on the board, McClain witness no shortage of interest during the legal tampering period. The 49ers, Seahawks, Falcons, and Dolphins were all thought to have been eyeing McClain, while the Cowboys were also hoping to re-sign him. With that level of interest around the league, McClain was able to garner an annual salary north of $5MM.

McClain, 28, is coming off the best season of his career, as he started more 12 or more games for the first time since 2012. In 15 starts, McClain put up 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. PFR ranked him as the No. 11 free agent interior defender.