Raiders suspend McClain

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As suspected, the Raiders have suspended middle linebacker Rolando McClain two games for "conduct detrimental to the team," the team announced in a release Friday morning, rather than cut him.The longest the team can suspend a player without pay is four weeks. The Raiders have five games remaining on their schedule.With a CBSSportsline report saying a "heated" discussion between McClain and coach Dennis Allen ended with the player being sent off the practice field on Wednesday, Allen said Thursday, "Theres going to be consequences to his actions and its a team-related issue."Allen would not elaborate further.But this much is already out there: after allegedly being kicked out of practice, McClain purportedly took to his Facebook page."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: "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."McClain, the disappointing No. 8 overall pick of the 2010 draft out of Alabama, probably gets his wish as he's most likely played his final game with the Raiders, because cutting him would actually be rewarding him, in a sense.The middle linebacker, who played inside in a 3-4 alignment in college, is still owed a prorated 285,294.12 of his 970,000 base salary for 2012. Simply cutting him would keep the Raiders on the hook for that money, and McClain would be free to sign elsewhere and double-dip paycheck-wise while being allowed to share his knowledge of the Raiders' schemes.
RELATED: Rolando McClain career stats2012 game logs
Still, McClain has struggled mightily this season, being taken off the field in nickel packages after Week 4 this season and losing the "green sticker" on his helmet and thus, no longer being the playcaller on defense. In his career, McClain has 6 12 sacks, one interception, on forced fumble and no fumble recoveries in 41 games.Plus, it was one year ago today when 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. Former coach Hue Jackson allowed him to play the following weekend in Miami.Since then, the Raiders are 4-12.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."WIth a new regime in place at 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway, McClain was given a clean slate by incoming general manager Reggie 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."McClain is due to make 4.005 million in base salary in 2013 (with 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, all per his rookie contract.

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