Dallas Cowboys: David Irving Returning Key for Defense

The Dallas Cowboys will have defensive lineman David Irving on the roster for at least one more season as the franchise made the wise move to bring him back.

David Irving played very solid and consistent football last season for the Dallas Cowboys. And on Monday, the Cowboys made the right and best decision with an offer tendered to the defensive lineman.

At 6-7, 285 pounds, Irving totaled 17 tackles and four sacks during the 2016 regular season, also adding one tackle in the playoff loss against the Green Bay Packers. His first game against the Packers on Oct. 16 was a lot better, with him totaling four tackles, one sack and three forced fumbles in a 30-16 win for the Cowboys.

That game put Irving on the map and showed the potential he holds, making him a must-keep player this offseason—and the Cowboys did just that. To start the 2016 season, during the first four games Irving collected just one tackle, playing a limited number of snaps.

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In his final four regular-season games against the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, Irving totaled 10 tackles and three of his four sacks on the season.

Pro Football Focus graded Irving as the 29th overall interior defensive lineman, as PFF said he played in 530 snaps last season. That consistency of being on the field, with the 2016 season being just his second year in the NFL, makes the potential of Irving this upcoming season too much to overlook.

As for the tendered “exclusive rights free agent offer” for Irving, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reported Irving will receive $615,000 for next season. Archer also wrote in the article:

"Irving played in every game last season, starting two and finished the year with 11 tackles, according to the coaches’ stats, but he had four sacks, five tackles for loss, 26 quarterback hurries, five pass deflections, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery."

The tackle stats are nice, but what jumps off the page for Irving on that same stat sheet are his quarterback hurries, pass deflections and forced fumbles. Those are stats that sometimes can be overlooked, but what Irving did for the Cowboys last season shows what he’s capable of doing and then some in 2017.

If Irving can do that, while the Cowboys hopefully can add more to their defensive line and to the rest of the defense, he’ll have even better numbers. That’s especially true if linebacker Jaylon Smith hits the field this season to play alongside Sean Lee.

Currently, the Cowboys defensive tackle rotation includes Maliek Collins, Irving, Terrell McClain and Cedric Thornton. That group combined for 96 tackles and 13 sacks, according to NFL.com stats, giving the Cowboys some nice production from the interior defensive line. Having a rotation at tackle like the one the currently built by the Cowboys allows them to put more focus on the edge rush portion of the defensive line, as that and defensive back must be a focus in the draft and free agency.

Next: 2017 NFL Free Agency: Predictions for Top 50 Players

Irving is an unsung player in the Cowboys defensive line rotation and was a part of many big wins in 2016. The Cowboys realized his potential by keeping him on the roster for next season. Keeping Irving will not be the biggest offseason move made by the Cowboys, but it is a piece of the defensive puzzle that will be needed to continue the rebuild of the defensive unit from last season.

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