Jerry Thinks McClain Could Play Week 1, If Not for Suspension

Veteran middle linebacker Rolando McClain is having an understandably quiet training camp as (a) he’s injured, recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, and (b) he’s suspended for the first four games of the season anyway for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

But for what it’s worth, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes that from a health standpoint--if he wasn’t suspended--McClain would be ready to play in the season opener against the Giants at AT&T Stadium on September 13.

“I think if Rolando could play relative to being eligible, I think if he could play,” Jones said on Saturday, per the Dallas Morning News. “His health is at a situation that we could have him ready to play against the Giants. I think he’s working toward that and conducting his conditioning and conducting his rehab as though he could play if he were eligible.”

Jones added that he isn’t overly concerned with McClain’s involvement, or lack thereof, in preseason games.

“Not in his case,” Jones said. “We know what he can do. That has not been diminished in terms physically of what he’s able to do. Then you say ‘well, why do you have preseason?’ In his case just really get in good shape, get a plan in shape so he can be mentally prepared when we start having him in meetings in regular season when he comes back.”