It's been widely assumed that despite his current free agent status, linebacker Rolando McClain would most likely wind up back with the Dallas Cowboys, the team with which he was able to revive his flailing NFL career.
According to new reports though, there may be a few roadblocks for the Cowboys when it comes to keeping the big 'backer.
"From @FieldYates and myself, Cowboys LB Rolando McClain visiting Patriots today. Competition for Dallas now," tweeted ESPN's Todd Archer on Monday.
The Patriots are seemingly deep at the inside linebacker spot, but the recent injury to young stud Dont'a Hightower may have head coach Bill Belichick thinking he needs to find some additional talent elsewhere.
It was reported last week that Hightower, after undergoing labrum surgery after the Super Bowl, would be out of commission for approximately six to seven months. With Hightower's status for next season in question, the Pats depth chart at inside linebacker beyond Jerod Mayo suddenly looks a bit questionable.
It has been reportedly previously that the Cowboys want to see McClain return for next year and beyond, but it now sounds like the two sides may not be very close in terms of contract numbers.
"Honestly, the whispers have been nonexistent with Ro McClain news recently and I know they mentioned this week they still think they are in the mix for him, but it sure sounds like they have a number and maybe he has a drastically different one," writes Bob Sturm of The Dallas News.
Sean Lee is a Pro Bowl-caliber player when healthy, but he, likes McClain is an unlikely bet to play the full slate of 16 games for the Cowboys. Anthony Hitchens was a pleasant surprise for the team last year. The Cowboys have limited cap space - about $1.4 million, per Over The Cap - so this could be an issue of financials, pure and simple.
McClain's NFL story has been an odd and winding one.
A former eighth-overall pick in the first-round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders after a standout career at the University of Alabama, McClain failed to provide much in the way of impact during his first several NFL seasons. He was consistently dogged by issues of maturity and mental preparedness on the field and questions of his lifestyle off of it.
After the Raiders finally got fed up with the mounting off-the-field issues, McClain was released and signed to a one-year, prove it deal with the Baltimore Ravens. He retired from the NFL in May 2013 before ever playing a regular season snap for the team.
The following summer, McClain returned to the NFL, at which point the Cowboys flipped a sixth-round pick to the Ravens for McClain and a seventh-rounder.
He posted 81 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, two interceptions and three passes defensed in 13 regular season games last year for Dallas.
