Should the Cowboys replace this defensive starter?

After each serving a four-game suspension to start the regular season, both defensive end Greg Hardy and middle linebacker Rolando McClain made their much anticipated debuts for the Dallas Cowboys against the New England Patriots in Week Five.

More from The Landry Hat

In Hardy’s first three games as a Cowboy, the controversial player has been labeled the team’s defensive savior, had fans pondering a contact extension and been heralded as a leader by owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for McClain.

One might have expected a slow start for McClain this season. The former first round pick had his knee scoped this offseason, forcing him to miss OTAs. Then a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy was dropped on him in July, essentially killing a quarter of his season. In his absence, second-year linebacker Anthony Hitchens took McClain’s place at middle linebacker. The 23-year old Hitchens recorded a total of 31 tackles and 2.0 sacks in that four-game span. Since McClain’s regular season debut, the talented, young linebacker has posted just two assist tackles.

In his return, McClain recorded 16 total tackles and 1.0 sack in three games as the Cowboys starting middle linebacker. But, as one former player pointed out, he hasn’t looked like the same dominating linebacker from last year.

"“I just know what to make of McClain this year,” former Cowboys quarterback and commentator Babe Laufenberg responded during a chat published by the Dallas Morning News on earlier this week. “He looked totally gassed at the end of the Seattle game, and at the start, he did not look like the same guy as last season. So I think we are all just kind of guessing at this point. He is a mercurial talent and a mercurial personality. But always keep in the back of your mind that this is a player who retired twice before the age of 25. So I’m not sure what to make of anything that happens with him. But has not played well the last two weeks, that is for sure.”"

Pro Football Focus backs up Laufenberg’s analysis. McClain has received negative overall ratings from PFF in each of his first three games this season. Currently ranked as the second worst defender on the Cowboys roster, the mercurial linebacker has received negative scores in run defense (-3.9), pass rush (-0.8), pass coverage (-0.6), penalties (-1.8) and overall play (-7.1) this season.

In fact, McClain’s poor play appears to be effecting weakside linebacker Sean Lee as well. With Hitchens as his partner, Lee recorded his best games this season. Upon the return of Rolando, Sean’s play has taken a significant dip.

Next: Cowboys vs. Eagles: Five Keys to a Dallas Victory

It’s likely the Cowboys coaching staff is willing to ride out McClain’s poor play, hoping that the 26-year old simply needs more time to get his legs underneath him and into game-shape. Still, the twice-retired linebacker has had issues with losing his passion for the game in the past. If McClain has lost that loving feeling for football once again, he may be simply going through the motions and playing out his one-year, $3 million contract. Regardless, his poor play should be all the evidence Dallas needs to replace him in the starting lineup. Especially if his back-up is a better option.

Home/Cowboys News