Dallas Cowboys: Surprise! This man will lead the team in sacks…

It may sound surprising, but despite all that’s staked against him, this man could very well lead the Dallas Cowboys in sacks in 2017

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t had a double-digit sack master since Jason Hatcher collected 11 in 2013. Since then it’s been a rotating list of role players who’ve led the team in sacks. And rarely did they even approach that benchmark “double-digit” territory.

Without the blessing of a true “war daddy” on the roster, the Dallas Cowboys have no obvious sack leader to point to in 2017. That doesn’t mean they are without worthy candidates, it just means no one player is dominant, and the race will likely be closely fought.

Dallas currently has four or five players capable of leading this squad in sacks this season. Demarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, Benson Mayowa, Maliek Collins, David Irving, and even Damontre Moore have a legitimate shot as it. But one guy stands out above the rest.

David Irving.

David Irving enjoyed a break out season last year. He didn’t lead the team in sacks (that honor went to Benson Mayowa with six) but he exhibited dominance and potential for growth. Combine that with his physical attributes (6’7” 285lbs) and you have yourself a blue-chip player.

In an NFL.com 2015 re-draft, Lance Zierlein had Irving going in the top half of the first round (12^th overall to the Cleveland Browns). He likely based this decision on Irving’s progression throughout the season. Not only did Irving explode for three forced fumbles, a sack and a tackle for loss against Green Bay, but in his last three games of the regular season he collected three more sacks, another tackle for loss, another fumble caused, two pass breakups, and 10 quarterback hurries.

If Irving can continue that dominance, he’s a clear front runner for team sack leader in 2017, right?

The Bad News

As we all know, David Irving tested positive for banned substances in the offseason. As a result, he will miss the Cowboys’ first four games. To make matters worse, he’s hinted at that number increasing because he may not be complying with the NFL’s Substance Abuse Policy and protocol.

He’s since seemly squashed those rumors but most of Cowboys Nation still lives in fear Irving’s suspension could grow.

But since extra games are just speculation, we’ll be operating under the assumption he’ll be playing 12 games for the Cowboys in 2017. And that could be just enough games to lead this team in sacks.

What He Brings

It’s unknown if Rod Marinelli will increase David Irving’s snap count this season but we do know he’ll use Irving when the opportunities are the greatest. Marinelli leans on Irving on passing downs and late in the game, giving him the best opportunities to collect sacks as possible.

Playing inside and outside will depend on down and distance as well as matchup. David Irving is so physically imposing he fits anywhere on the D-line. Dallas uses that to its advantage by exploiting mismatches and shutting down passing lanes.

The Cowboys are going to miss dearly the first four games of the season pic.twitter.com/v6KGDRzxEp
— PFF (@PFF) July 7, 2017

Picking David Irving to lead the Cowboys in sacks this season isn’t the safe pick, but as the most gifted player on the roster it’s not the craziest either. He’s going to face some stiff competition from players who are sure to garner more games and more snaps. Let’s look at them:

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The Competition

As many will attest Demarcus Lawrence looked like the best defensive end in training camp — he hasn’t been able to carry that over onto the game field. His one total sack from last season does little to instill confidence. And while it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a bounce back year from “Tank”, the injuries appear to have taken their toll.

Tyrone Crawford is a player we discuss every year as a potential sack leader. And every year he disappoints. This season is likely to be his last on the Cowboys and I expect his snaps will decline as the season progresses.

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Taco Charlton will get snaps, but as a rookie without natural edge skills, it’s highly unlikely he get to five (my over/under is at 4 for Taco). It’s rare a rookie lineman can make much of a difference which is what makes Maliek Collins’ rookie season so spectacular.

Speaking of Collins, he’s my pick to log the most total snaps in 2017 so he’s sure to be amongst the Cowboys leaders when the season comes to an end. The Cowboys haven’t been this excited and complimentary about a 3-technique under tackle since…Tyrone Crawford.

It’s that swing and miss that makes me cautiously optimistic.

Damontre Moore will come closer than most probably think. He’s my pick to play the most important position on the defensive line and has had a very good preseason. Unfortunately, his track record is less than trustworthy, he’s serving a 2-game suspension himself, and his snap count will be far less than Irving.

Benson Mayowa could also be a decent option. He looks to garner a ton of snaps early while Irving and Moore are out and Crawford returns from injury, but I suspect some of his success from 2016 was fool’s gold and he’s in line for a down year. Still, he’s probably the most obvious pick of the bunch so I’m not going to discount him.

There are plenty of players worthy of consideration but absolutely no clear choice. That’s why I’m betting on talent over opportunity and predicting David Irving to lead the Cowboys in sacks this season.

Next: Can Damontre Moore be great again?

My over/under for David Irving in 2017 is eight sacks. I don’t predict the Cowboys to have a double-digit sacker on team for the fourth season in a row. Maliek Collins will give him a run for his money, though. Who’s your pick for leading sacker in 2017? Will Collins win the title or will it be Tank in a free agent season?

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