Terrell McClain leaves Dallas without a contract, now visiting the Falcons

There was a lot of activity around defensive tackles for the Cowboys yesterday. The bad news is we learned that Maliek Collins broke his foot and will likely require surgery. He will miss a significant part of the offseason at best. The Cowboys were relying on Collins as the 1-tech since they had no one else to move into that starting role.

In a coincidence, they had a guy in the building they were trying to sign that maybe could have stepped into that 1-tech role, allowing Collins to go back to the 3-tech when he is healthy, a position he played well at as a rookie. That player was former Cowboy Terrell McClain, and for a while there was a lot of optimism that McClain and Dallas would get a deal done. It didn’t happen... yet.

McClain has left the Star and is visiting the Atlanta Falcons today (Friday).

Free-agent defensive tackle Terrell McClain (6-2, 302) is in Atlanta today visiting with the Falcons, according to a source. McClain came to Atlanta from a visit with the Cowboys. Falcons very interested in signing McClain because he fits the system and is an up-field defensive tackle with quickness who would fit at the 3 technique. McClain also is close friends with Falcons defensive lineman Jack Crawford from their days together in Dallas. McClain could work well alongside nose tackle Grady Jarrett. McClain, 29, has played with the Redskins, Cowboys, Texans, Patriots, and Panthers.

There is still hope that McClain and the Cowboys can reach a deal.

McClain hasn’t lacked for suitors since being released by Washington. His price is going up and up as more teams enter the picture. With the Maliek Collins news, the Cowboys need at defensive tackle, especially the 1-tech, grows, but they did allow McClain to leave without a contract. They have shown remarkable fiscal restraint in free agency recently, it looks like they’ll continue to do so and take the risk that McClain doesn’t return. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.