Baltimore Ravens linebackers Rolando McClain signed with the team just over a week ago after a tumultuous few years with the Oakland Raiders, but his new start is already rocky, as he was arrested on Sunday in his hometown of Decatur, Alabama and charged with two crimes.
According to ESPN.com, McClain was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in Decatur, the third time that he has has a legal issue in the state. McClain just signed a one-year deal with the Ravens after playing with the Raiders and this past season he was suspended at one point for conduct detrimental to the team by head coach Dennis Allen.
According to AL.com, McClain was released and posted $1,000 bond and will later appear in court. This is not the first time McClain has dealt with legal troubles, including once when he was involved in a shooting and another time when he fired a gun and was convicted of assault before the charges were dropped. He also once gave the wrong name to police after being pulled over for tinted windows.
McClain was a former first round draft pick with the Raiders and he has played in 41 career games while making 6.5 sacks. This past season he fell out of the starting lineup and was suspended by the team and after giving his agent permission to seek a trade, the Raiders placed the linebacker on waivers. The Raiders signed both Nick Roach and Kevin Burnett in the offseason and felt it was time to part ways with McClain as his play diminished.
His best season came in 2011 when he had 99 tackles and five sacks, but he was unable to replicate that production at any time and he also had issues getting on the field. The Raiders may also use the opportunity of cutting him to draft a linebacker at the number three spot in the draft on Thursday, including Dion Jordan or Jarvis Jones. As a rookie McClain signed a five-year, $40.25 million contract out of Alabama and was looked at as a franchise linebacker, but he never lived up to that billing. The Ravens were expecting to have him replace retired linebacker Ray Lewis and it is likely that the arrest will not change those intentions, but a stern talk is sure to be in order from the Super Bowl champions.