Dallas Cowboys: David Irving suspended four games

The Dallas Cowboys will apparently lose one of their best pass rushers for the first four games of the 2018 regular season. How will the team respond?

The Dallas Cowboys have just been given some major news as it is being reported that talented pass rusher David Irving has been suspended for the first four games of the 2018 regular season. How will this impact the Cowboys and what exactly are the details of this unfortunate penalty?

Currently not much is known about why the NFL has decided to suspend Irving other than a violation of the substance abuse policy. He apparently missed several drug tests and that resulted in a “positive” test result from the NFL.

He tested positive for PED’s last season and this would be the second time in two years he has been punished. This is terrible timing for Irving who is in a contract year and was looking to land a significant payday at the end of the season.

His production has steadily increased over the last few seasons and he has become one of the more disruptive pieces of the Dallas Cowboys pass rush. Dallas looks like they got a steal as Irving terrorized Aaron Rodgers in the last two games against the Green Bay Packers.

More from Dallas Cowboys

• Why the Dallas Cowboys wisely decided against signing Dalvin Cook
• West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
• Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
• Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
• Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023

Irving was expected to play a major role this season as the team looked to have the most formidable defensive unit they have had in recent memory. Irving’s absence now casts a shadow on what should have been his breakout season. Irving reportedly came to OTA’s overweight and needed to improve his conditioning. 

He also came in with some baggage as an odd off the field issue sparked some concerns early on during the offseason. The Dallas Cowboys however prepared for Irving potentially not being available as they not only drafted Dorance Armstrong at defensive end but also traded for defensive tackle Jihad Ward.

Irving did line up at several positions along the defensive line and was an effective pass rusher and run stopper. After registering seven sacks in 2017 Irving was destined to have some big money come his way, however, the Cowboys took the cautious approach and only gave him a tender, rather than signing him to a long-term deal.

It appears that approach has been deemed valid by Irving’s actions as of late. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If nothing else, this incident should bring his price down quite a bit as the Dallas Cowboys look to work towards a new deal. This has been a wild offseason for the Cowboys as the team looks to transition from Jason Witten and Dez Bryant’s tenures with the team into brand new pastures.

Next: Dallas Cowboys: Zack Martin signed for six years

With new leaders and a ton of new targets for Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys appear to be ready for the future.