Dallas Cowboys’ Offseason Review: Rolando McClain the Lottery Ticket
By Reid Hanson
Former first round pick, Rolando McClain, did great things in Dallas last season. The twice retired LB from Alabama, established himself as a dominant force in the Dallas Cowboys’ defense. When MLB Sean Lee was lost for the season, the Cowboys threw up a low-risk Hail Mary and traded for the maligned former playmaker.
Adding Rolando McClain proved to be nothing short of brilliant and quite possibly season-saving too. The man who finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting, provided pedigree on a defense that severely lacked that all-important quality.
It was just last week we discussed the performance of George Selvie and how he was the Cowboys’ lottery ticket of 2013. Few will question the 2014 winning lottery ticket was Rolando McClain.
Grading Rolando McClain’s 2014 Performance
More from Dallas Cowboys
- West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
- Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
- Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
- Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023
- Dallas Cowboys: Is CB Jourdan Lewis a tradeable asset?
Breaking down film and grading each play is something that sounds easier in theory than it is in reality. It’s not always obvious what a particular player’s assignment is on every single play. He may have 1-gap responsibility on one play but 2-gap on another. Just because he’s the closest defender to the play, doesn’t mean it was his primary responsibility. Recognizing this obstacle (unknown assignments) is very important in player grading and something I try to be sure of before casting blame or praise.
In my film reviews this year I watched and re-watched specific plays in order to ascertain assignments and execution. Every game except for the Thanksgiving Day Annihilation by the Eagles was reviewed and graded. I used a -3 to a +3 scale for game grades and averaged those scores for final 2014 Player Grades.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) is another resource that breaks down film and grades plays. If they are unsure on a particular assignment on a given play, they simply do not grade it. For final end-of-year scores, PFF adds it all up. As a result, there numbers are much higher than my averages, and are largely uncapped play to play. Because of this, I’ll try to apply some context to their grades (relative to the team and the players around the league).
When player evaluation is based on each play and not a post-game stat sheet, this process is very important, or one may misrepresent a player’s performance. With all of that said…
Oct 19, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain (55) in action against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Rolando McClain was not only the most complete LB for the Dallas Cowboys, but he was one of the best in the entire NFL. The 6’4” 260 lb LB from Alabama played like a giant. He splashed the backfield, pursued ball carriers, covered sideline to sideline, and was a threat in pass coverage. With the exception of the last 4 games (including playoffs), he was a complete player without any true weaknesses.
Rolando McClain’s year-end grade averaged to 2.25 (by far the highest LB grade I’ve given this season). If it wasn’t for his injuries, and subsequent pedestrian performances Weeks 15-17 and into the playoffs, McClain would have a staggering 2.5.
Perhaps what impressed me the most was his ability to fluidly drop back in coverage and take away the deep middle. His tall frame towered down field and allowed only a small window between him and the secondary. This ability alone is what makes me feel, if somehow retained, he would stay at the MIKE spot and Sean Lee would be the one moving positions.
His injuries clearly caught up with him and when the back-to-back concussions put a bow on his season, he clearly couldn’t have continued even if the Cowboys advanced past the divisional round.
Pro Football Focus thought very highly of McClain as well. McClain finished with a 13.9 PFF score which ranked 8th in the NFL for ILBs. His performance was very comparable to Sean Lee’s performance the year before when Lee scored 11.6 and ranked 7th in the NFL.
Another interesting detail the scouts at PFF found, was opposing QBs’ Passer Ratings against McClain. The season average QB rating against Rolando McClain was 84.4. That may sound high, but for a LB, that is pretty darn low. Only 2 of the top 12 ILBs scored better than McClain in this category.
Rolando McClain Conclusion
Rolando McClain deserves to be on the Dallas Cowboys’ shortlist for 2014 Defensive MVP. He was a star player at a position of weakness for the Dallas Cowboys. The only red mark on his 2014 report card was his inability to stay on the field and be effective late in the season – fair or not, but injuries must be factored into the grades because a player in the training room is worthless to the game.
The big question at hand, ‘is can the Cowboys afford to re-sign Rolando McClain?’