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Terrell McClain can be valuable piece for Cowboys
11:15 AM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- The 2016 season will be Terrell McClain's third with the Dallas Cowboys, yet he remains something of a mystery.
He missed two games in 2014 because of an ankle injury and a concussion and was a healthy scratch for a third game. He missed 14 games this past season because of a toe injury that required surgery.
“I’m still kicking,” McClain said.
This is the final year of McClain’s deal, and the Cowboys need him to be healthy. When he has played, he has produced. He had five tackles and a quarterback pressure in the two games he played in 2015. In 2014, he had 20 tackles with a sack, three tackles for loss, seven quarterback pressures and a forced fumble.
At 6-foot-2, 302 pounds, he can play either defensive tackle spot.
Without McClain, the Cowboys had to rotate players behind Nick Hayden at nose tackle and probably played the veteran too many snaps. Finding depth on the interior of the line is a must for the Cowboys in 2016, but McClain offers a chance to find it in house.
In 2012, Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee missed 10 games because of a toe injury that required the same surgery as McClain.
“Sean looks fine to me,” McClain said. “I’ve talked to him even before the surgery, how it was, and how the pain was after the surgery. He really helped me out because I didn’t know what to expect. I never had surgery on my toe before. It was painful at first, but now I’m fine.”
McClain started running on the anti-gravity treadmill the last week of the season and expects to be full strength for the offseason program.
“I’ve been out of the game since Week 2, and it was just hard for me just week to week come up here and not be out there with my boys,” he said. “I’m going to work my hardest to get back on that field and make sure I’m not coming off it no more.”
11:15 AM ET
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- The 2016 season will be Terrell McClain's third with the Dallas Cowboys, yet he remains something of a mystery.
He missed two games in 2014 because of an ankle injury and a concussion and was a healthy scratch for a third game. He missed 14 games this past season because of a toe injury that required surgery.
“I’m still kicking,” McClain said.
This is the final year of McClain’s deal, and the Cowboys need him to be healthy. When he has played, he has produced. He had five tackles and a quarterback pressure in the two games he played in 2015. In 2014, he had 20 tackles with a sack, three tackles for loss, seven quarterback pressures and a forced fumble.
At 6-foot-2, 302 pounds, he can play either defensive tackle spot.
Without McClain, the Cowboys had to rotate players behind Nick Hayden at nose tackle and probably played the veteran too many snaps. Finding depth on the interior of the line is a must for the Cowboys in 2016, but McClain offers a chance to find it in house.
In 2012, Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee missed 10 games because of a toe injury that required the same surgery as McClain.
“Sean looks fine to me,” McClain said. “I’ve talked to him even before the surgery, how it was, and how the pain was after the surgery. He really helped me out because I didn’t know what to expect. I never had surgery on my toe before. It was painful at first, but now I’m fine.”
McClain started running on the anti-gravity treadmill the last week of the season and expects to be full strength for the offseason program.
“I’ve been out of the game since Week 2, and it was just hard for me just week to week come up here and not be out there with my boys,” he said. “I’m going to work my hardest to get back on that field and make sure I’m not coming off it no more.”
