The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best scouting departments in all of Football. They have a knack for seeking talent and finding diamonds in the rough. Whether the player was a late-round draft pick or undrafted, Will McClay and his staff continuously find players who can contribute to the team.
One of those players who no one thought would become such an intimidating force in the NFL is defensive end David Irving. David Irving went undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Iowa State University after being kicked off the team for an incident he was involved in at the VEISHA festival.
Irving then was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs where he was assigned to their practice squad.
A few months later, David Irving was then claimed and signed to the Cowboys 53-man roster where he finished the season with 14 pressures as a backup defensive tackle in 2015, according to Blogging The Boys. In the 2016 & 2017 seasons, Irving has been a terrorizing force as defensive coordinators had to game plan for him each week.
What is next for David Irving?
Now that we are about to kickoff minicamps, so far David Irving is out of shape, as he's mentioned he has been dealing with a couple of issues in the past couple of weeks. He has been having personal matters which kept him from being mentally and physically prepared for football this offseason.
USA Today noted that Irving's personal life has been affecting his professional career with the Cowboys
This past Friday on June 15th, it was confirmed by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that David Irving has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. This is devastating news as Irving has now been suspended for the second season in the row, which also makes this now the fifth year in a row a Dallas Cowboys defensive player has been suspended.
#Cowboys DL David Irving is being suspended 4 games for violating @NFL policy on substance of abuses, sources say. Another big-time D-linemen hit with a suspension for Dallas.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 15, 2018
The coaching staff and some of his teammates feel as he isn't fully committed to football. They believe he gets distracted too easily when he is away from football in the offseason.
Those were the main reasons as to why the Cowboys did not sign him to a long-term deal this offseason. Instead, they put a second-round tender to keep him for one more year.
It may have been the right move, not only for the team but for David Irving himself. He needs to be held accountable so he can learn how to be a professional on and off the field. It is very important for professional athletes to understand they always have a spotlight on them and most times have a target on their back. That's why it's so important that they make the right decisions.
There will have to be team changes in the defensive line
Now that Irving will not see the field for the first four games, Sportsday Dallas News notes the roster projection and how David Irving's suspension affects the defensive line.
The front office now must either add depth or roll with the guys they have at defensive tackle. They did not address the position in the draft as they felt comfortable with the guys they had. But now, with Irving not available, the team may be concerned, considering Maliek Collins is still recovering from a broken foot he suffered earlier this offseason. We will have to wait until week five to see how Irving bounces back from another setback. Hopefully, he can put it all together and help the team achieve success in 2018.
