Allen testy with media, won't reveal details on McClain

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ALAMEDA -- Rolando McClain's locker at the Raiders compound remained full Thursday, even as rumors swirled that the middle linebacker was about to be cut and coach Dennis Allen confirmed that McClain was asked to stay away.Call it, Rolando Watch '12."Really, nothing more than we asked him not to come to practice today," said coach Dennis Allen. "Theres going to be consequences to his actions and its a team-related issue. I dont really want to get into the details of it. We asked him not to come to practice today."RELATED: McClain asked to stay away from Raiders practice
Wait, consequences to his actions? Well, there was a report that McClain and Allen had a "heated" discussion Wednesday that ended with Allen kicking McClain out of practice. McClain then purportedly went on his Facebook page and, according to several who had access to it, posted the following:"Officially no longer an Oakland Raider!!" he wrote, before adding, "Well technically I am. But I'm mentally done. Just waiting on my papers."Later, this was posted: "It's out of my hands right now." Then, "I'm gonna weigh my options. Looking forward to playing for an actual 'team.'" His final post: "I'd like to be anywhere besides here."Allen would not say what McClain's exact "actions" were, though, only saying the McClain was still on the roster."We have to make a decision and I really dont want to get into the details of what were going to do," Allen said.So, he's not suspended, then?"We have not done anything other than ask him not to come to practice," Allen said.Then is a suspension under consideration?"We havent done anything other than ask him not to come to practice," Allen reiterated.Allen did say he had spoken to him on Thursday, but said McClain was not in the building and did not know if he would be on Friday.Asked if this could be a distraction for the Raiders, Allen shook his head."You know, guys, Ive really said what I need to say about this," Allen said. "We asked Rolando not to come to practice today. Well make any decisions that we need to make when that time comes as an organization. Its a team issue and were going to keep it between the team."Then has Allen had to address it with the players?"Listen, its a team issue were going to keep it within the team," Allen said.And if McClain does not play, recent signee Omar Gaither would play middle linebacker against Cleveland on Sunday.NEWS: Raiders vs. Browns to be blacked out locally
It would seem to be an easy decision to simply cut McClain, who has been a headache for the Raiders both on and off the field since they used the No. 8 overall draft pick on him in 2010. But maybe Oakland is looking at how to suspend McClain the maximum four games without pay for conduct detrimental?Because if they simply cut him, it would be, in a way, rewarding the middle linebacker, who is still owed a prorated 285,294.12 of his 970,000 base salary for 2012. He would hit the open market, so to speak, and could potentially join a future Raiders opponent and, ahem, share the Raiders playbook with that team.Suspending him and thus, making him inactive for the rest of the season would keep him in place, so to speak, so that he could not hit the market. And then, maybe, general manager Reggie McKenzie could find a willing trade partner this offseason for a lower round draft pick.But who would want McClain in a trade with his struggling mightily in his NFL career.He was taken off the field in nickel packages after Week 4 this season, in part, to help his conditioning to play better against the run. But he has had notable misses this season. In his career, McClain has 6 12 sacks, one interception, on forced fumble and no fumble recoveries in 41 games. Not exactly the stats of a cornerstone middle linebacker.And one year ago tomorrow, McClain was arrested for, and later convicted of, charges of third-degree assault, menacing, discharging a handgun in city limits and reckless endangerment and was sentenced to six months in jail and slapped with a 2,000 fine. Since then, the Raiders are 4-12. Karma?Earlier this month, after he appealed, the charges were dropped."I'm aware of the bad publicity that I've given the Raiders," McClain said in a statement to reporters back in May. "After talking to Coach (Dennis) Allen, I have the support of the Raiders, my teammates, as well as the coaching staff. I apologize for the bad publicity that's been put out there. But it is a legal process and I can't talk much about it, but I think in due time the Raiders and the Raiders fans that are out there will see it all come to an end. It is what it is; I can't really talk much about it but it will be resolved in the near future."In fact, McClain was given a clean slate by McKenzie."Since we've been here, he's been great," McKenzie told a group of reporters in a roundtable session following the end of mandatory minicamp in June. "I'm not going to hold anything over his head about what he's done in the past. We're only concerned what he does from here on out."Per his rookie contract, McClain is due to make 4.005 million in base salary in 2013 (a salary cap number of 6.675 million), 5.805 million in 2014 (8.475 million cap number) and 2.665 million (5.085 million cap number) in 2015.

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