Rolando McClain and Oakland Raiders Must Part Ways Following Arrest

Oakland Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain is a great talent, but the Raiders have to cut ties with the former No. 8 overall pick after he allegedly fired a gun during a fight.

According to CBS, he was charged with assault over the incident. Players on the Raiders have historically had an edge, but there is a difference between being rough around the edges and being a menace off the field.

The Raiders have elite pieces on their team and McClain's behavior is forcing them to take a step backwards. They are in first place in the AFC West and on the brink of doing something special. Meanwhile, a guy who is supposed to be one of their defensive leaders is getting into off-the-field issues.

There is no room for that on the Raiders.

McClain isn't Ray Lewis or Patrick Willis. They would be sending a message that the failing, JeMarcus-ways in Oakland are over.

The team is finally seeing success again and players who get in the way of their success have to go. The team would essentially be saying that they don't care who it is, those who aren't on board have to go.

There are three or four linebackers coming out in the draft who could come in and fill the void left by McClain. The Raiders of course traded away their future for Carson Palmer, but their hands won't be completely tied.

It's not ideal, but the Raiders can't afford to have any player on their roster who is going to fail them when they are going into battle.

People don't want to mention the name Barret Robbins, but he's proof that those who don't have their mind right off the field can take away from the team.

They need to give him the wake-up call that Russell got when it was too late. He needs to change his mindset and his scenery, the same way in which Randy Moss did in New England.

Letting him stay in Oakland allows McClain to know that this sort of thing is okay. The picture of his arrest says it all. McClain's got to go.