IRVING, Texas -- Rolando McClain, the only starter to skip the voluntary portion of the Dallas Cowboys' offseason workouts, attended the team's mandatory minicamp.
He participated in some individual drills Tuesday in the first day of the club's three-day minicamp.
McClain, who signed a one-year deal worth $5 million, attended the early part of the offseason program but has spent most of his time in his native Alabama tending to what coach Jason Garrett has consistently referred to as family business. He did not come into the locker room and was unavailable for comment.
Backup guard Ronald Leary wants to be traded, so he has not been working out with the Cowboys.
"Both of those guys have been out and they're really the only two guys who haven't been a part of the OTA portion of our offseason," Garrett said. "With that understanding, we want to make sure we acclimate them slowly and deliberately back into what we're doing."
Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said he was glad to have McClain back working with the team because the Cowboys expect the linebacker to be one of their best defensive players this season.
"He's smart, and he's been in the system going on his third year," Marinelli said. "He's just getting all his reads and keys right now and getting his mind right for camp.
"You want everybody working. That's how you continue to get better. The biggest thing is thinking and reacting under duress. You might know what to do, but few do what they know in crunch time. It's about creating those environments for people."
Garrett said McClain informed the Cowboys last weekend that he would attend the minicamp. Had he skipped the camp, McClain would have faced increasing fines of $12,675, $25,525 and $38,290 for each missed day.
After Thursday, the players are off until the team flies to Oxnard, California, for training camp on July 28.
"The offseason is voluntary," Garrett said. "We were in conversation with him about that [family] situation he was working through. Now, he's here and focused on what we're doing."