What It Means:

It was widely assumed that marijuana use caused the suspension, but that apparently isn't the case. Per the report, the Cowboys are leaving the door open for a potential McClain return, but they "aren't optimistic he'll walk through it." This sounds like rock bottom for the 27-year-old backer who has been plagued by off-field issues since he entered the league in 2010. It's unclear how much McClain cares about his future as a NFL player, as he reportedly showed up to minicamp 30 pounds overweight and will face an indefinite ban if he fails to report to a treatment facility. He's eligible to return in Week 12, but he doesn't appear to be on a path to taking the field this season. Dallas intends to hold onto McClain's contractual rights for now.

The Cowboys ranked 19th in Adjusted Defensive Net Expected Points (NEP) per play last season.