RAZMIK OHANIANGLENDALE, CA
Have there been any indications or updates on Rolando McClain's progress with rehab and the recovery from the procedure on his knee before camp?*
Rob: Jerry Jones said his feeling is McClain could be ready for Week 1 if he were eligible to play. He's not eligible – not until the day after the Week 4 Saints game on Monday, Oct. 5. The Cowboys could presumably place him on Reserve/PUP to start the season, meaning he'd miss the season's first six weeks (five games counting the bye) and his four-game suspension would run concurrently. Jones indicated the team doesn't need to see McClain in preseason, and at this point, unless he came back for the preseason finale with all the starters likely sitting, a preseason appearance for the veteran linebacker seems unlikely with the dress rehearsal game nine days away.
David:You can generally get an idea of how far away a player is based on what type of work he is doing. McClain has been doing conditioning and rehab on his knee, but you don't get the feeling he'll be suiting up any time in the next week. And honestly, what's the point of rushing him? McClain has to serve his suspension anyway. Let him ease his way back and be completely healthy when he returns to the roster in October.
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EDWARD TOERNERLAFAYETTE, LA
Is it safe to assume that Greg Hardy is going to accept his four-game suspension? With so little time left before the season begins, and with the NFL all consumed with Tom Brady, can there be any realistic way that the suspension could be reduced?
Rob: The closer we get to September without any news on this front, you do start to wonder if anything will change. But the Cowboys really haven't been involved in any way here – the appeal process involved Hardy and the NFLPA – and Hardy hasn't spoken to the media since signing in March, so we don't really know his thinking here. No matter how many games the suspension is, the contract is structured the same way – it's pay-as-you-go for each game Hardy plays.
David:The Cowboys have made it pretty clear that this is Hardy's situation to sort out, and Hardy has been quiet for some time now. I could be wrong, but you start to get the impression that maybe he's content to leave well enough alone. He's still in position to play a lot of games and make a lot of money. Maybe he doesn't want to drag the situation into the spotlight of a court battle.
