Chris

McCain

Acquired from the Dolphins for a conditional seventh-round pick on Monday, McCain lasted five days with the Saints. New Orleans will likely get their seventh-rounder back after waiving him.

The last coaching regime thought it would be a good idea to try McCain at linebacker but that experiment flopped. "[I’m] real happy; this fills my skill sets better,” said McCain. “No thinking. Just running, doing what I like to do.” McCain will serve as pass-rushing depth behind veteran starters Mario Williams and Cameron Wake.

The Saints are desperate for pass rushers, and the Fins never could quite figure out how to use McCain’s talents, persistently shuttling him between linebacker and defensive end. McCain has only two sacks at the NFL level. He will compete for a situational role in New Orleans’ sub-package defense.

McCain is a second-year UDFA out of California. At 6'5/250, he has plenty of size and even dropped down to defensive end at times in Tuesday’s practice. McCain played 46 snaps as a rookie and will certainly face competition for the job this summer. Jordan Tripp and veteran Spencer Paysinger will push McCain.

McCain worked with ones during minicamp and OTAs after playing just 46 snaps last year behind Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. Ellerbe was traded and Wheeler cut, giving McCain the inside track to start at SAM linebacker. Expect the Dolphins to use the versatile 23-year-old at defensive end on third downs and obvious passing situations.

McCain has been getting first-team reps at OTAs. The Dolphins limited McCain to 46 snaps as a rookie, but like him as a SAM pass-rusher that can drop into coverage. McCain’s primary competition will be ex-Giant Spencer Paysinger.

McCain is Koa Misi’s backup at strong side linebacker. Before Sunday, he had played just four snaps this season.

A second-year UDFA, McCain had a hyped offseason but flopped hard at linebacker. He was moved to defensive end last month. McCain ended up playing only 42 snaps on defense. His roster spot will be far from assured in 2016.

Miami is scrambling to replace Cameron Wake’s production off the edge, and McCain is a long player with good athleticism who contributed six sacks his first two years at Cal. McCain will join the committee of Derrick Shelby and Terrence Fede opposite Olivier Vernon.

TE Randall Telfer was waived in a corresponding roster move. A 2014 UDFA, McCain tallied five sacks on 240 snaps for the Chargers last season. He entered the year with only two for his career. The Colts are taking pass rushing fliers after tallying a dismal 25 sacks a season ago.