Factor #3 - He might come back with something to prove.
It’s hard to gauge just how much his head is in to it, but if he wants to be an NFL player going forward, he’ll know that those final six games will be his audition for his 2017 contract paid by some team not named Dallas. Will that light a fire under him? Who knows, but if it does, the Cowboys will get themselves a tenacious LB.
The best thing to do is just put McClain out-of-sight, out-of-mind. If he shows up during game 11 and plays McClain-type football, great! That’s a bonus. If not, then it’s no different than cutting him. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. What’s done is done, but the front office still must make the best decision for the team going forward. If they feel that cutting him now sends a strong message, then that has value and shouldn’t be overlooked. But before they wring their hands of McClain maybe they should try to squeeze out the last little bit of production he has to offer. Come playoff time, it could be nice to have a Rolando in your back pocket.