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Just yesterday the Raiders released troubled inside linebacker Rolando McClain. McClain is super talented but cannot stay out of trouble off the field and even in practice. Ozzie has a tendency to favor former Crimson Tide players and McClain is just that playing from 2007 to 2009 where he helped win a National Championship. In 2009 he was part of a defense that led the Crimson Tide to a championship and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, a first team all-SEC selection, the Lambert Award, and the Dick Butkus Award. According to his Wikipedia page "He was recognized a unanimous first-team All-American, after being named to the first teams of the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, and Walter Camp Football Foundation."
McClain decided to forgo his senior season at Alabama and was taken with the 8th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2010 NFL Draft. The pick was considered by most analysts to be a "safe pick" which anyone who follows the NFL and the draft knows that there is no such thing. This guy definitely has talent and many people go to the Raiders and are not happy and want out. Could the Ravens pick him up and straighten him out and put him on a path to greatness? After being kicked out of practice a few years ago for an "incident" he said on his Facebook page, "I’m no longer an Oakland Raider!!" and that he was ". . .mentally done." with the team, wishing ". . .to be anywhere besides here". This indicates that he wasn’t happy with his situation in Oakland as many people in the past haven’t been.
Given this past offseason with the exodus of people with strong personalities who take a stand against coaching and leadership it’s doubtful but not impossible. Maybe getting cut and going to a new home is exactly what McClain needs to turn his life and career around. As we all know Ozzie has the motto of "Right Player, Right Price" and I can’t see McClain warranting a high price given his past. I’m not all in on the notion of McClain being the next MLB for the Ravens but I am certainly open to looking into it.
Wherever he lands that team will be getting a potential superstar who lacks maturity and has off the field issues. He’s been arrested multiple times for a few different charges and his legal troubles may continue but I for one hope someone can turn this guy around because I hate to see wasted talent.