Owings Mills, MD – Less than a week after being released by the Oakland Raiders, Rolando McClain has apparently found a new home.
The linebacker and former first-round pick has agreed to a one-year contract with the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, with NFL.com reporting the pact to be for $700,000 with additional incentives.
McClain is scheduled to take a physical in Baltimore on Friday, at which time the deal will become official.
The 23-year-old was released by Oakland on April 5 following a disappointing and turbulent three-year tenure with the Raiders, who selected the ex-Alabama star with the eighth overall selection of the 2010 draft. McClain was suspended for two games late last season after clashing with head coach Dennis Allen, then was declared an inactive for Oakland's final three contests.
McClain did start nine of the 11 games he played in during 2012 and recorded 62 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He set career bests with five sacks and 99 stops while making 14 starts the previous year.
The Ravens need to replace both starting inside linebackers from last year's championship squad, with team leader Ray Lewis now retired and Dannell Ellerbe signing with Miami as a free agent last month.
"It's a move that can't go wrong and I'm looking forward to playing in Baltimore, as the Ravens run the same or very similar defense as I was a part of at the University of Alabama," McClain told the Madison (AL) Weekly News on Wednesday.
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