Cowboys DL David Irving To Miss Week 5
The Cowboys moved David Irving onto their active roster earlier on Saturday and placed Travis Frederick on IR to do so. However, they will not have the defensive lineman at their disposal on Sunday night.
Irving did not make the trip with the Cowboys to Houston and will miss his would-be 2018 debut, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter).
Both Jerry and Stephen Jones said this week they expected Irving to suit up against the Texans, but Stephen Jones said the young defender was dealing with “some personal issues” (Twitter link via Machota). Irving missed the Cowboys’ first four games because of a substance-abuse suspension. The Cowboys excused him from practice on Thursday.
This situation has more to do with Irving’s family, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). The Cowboys are sticking by their third-year contributor, viewing this as “out of Irving’s control,” Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
This is a key year for Irving. He stands to be an unrestricted free agent after the season. He was given a second-round RFA tender ($2.914MM) after a strong eight-game showing in 2017. Moved to defensive tackle full-time, Irving finished with a career-high seven sacks last season. He has not played in a game since November 2017.
Cowboys Place WR Terrance Williams On IR
Terrance Williams is heading to the IR. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys are placing the wideout on the injured reserve.
We heard earlier this week that the wideout was limited in practice. He sat out last weekend’s game due to personal issues, but it was a left foot injury that may have led to his placement on the injured reserve (via Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram). Williams had previously fractured the same foot, and offseason surgery forced him to sit out the entire offseason program and mini camp. While he was never listed on the injury report, Hill says the foot issue had been limiting the wideout through the early part of the season.
Before the foot injury came to light, the biggest issue plaguing Williams was a pending suspension for crashing his car into a pole. Williams wasn’t charged with a DUI, but it’s believed that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. A looming suspension may have influenced the Cowboys’ decision to place the wideout on the IR.
Before missing last weekend’s game, Williams had appeared in 83 straight games. The 29-year-old had averaged 46 receptions and 672 yards during his first five seasons in the NFL, including a 2015 campaign where he compiled 840 receiving yards. However, through three games this season, Williams had only hauled in two catches for 18 yards. Williams is currently in the second year of a four-year, $17MM deal. As our own Zach Links pointed out, the Cowboys could save $2.25MM by releasing him in the offseason, though they would be left with $2.5MM in dead money.
The Cowboys placed center Travis Frederick on the injured reserve earlier today. The team activated David Irving to take the open roster spot.
Cowboys To Place C Travis Frederick On IR
Travis Frederick is indeed heading to the IR to make room for defensive lineman David Irving. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing their center on the injured reserve. The team will activate Irving to take the open roster spot. We heard yesterday that this was the expected move, although a final decision hadn’t been made at that point.
Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome before the start of the season, and we heard about a month ago that the offensive lineman was still experiencing numbness in both of his arms. The team didn’t immediately place Frederick on the injured reserve with the hope that he’d return before Week 8. Now, the lineman will be eligible to return for the final three games of the regular season, although he’d have to be cleared by a doctor.
The 27-year-old had started 80 straight games for the Cowboys heading into the season. He had another productive season in 2017, as Pro Football Focus ranked him third among eligible centers. The four-time Pro Bowler inked a six-year, $56.4MM extension with the organization back in 2016. Joe Looney will continue to get reps at center for the time being.
Irving was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The defensive tackle ended up skipping training camp as he dealt with personal issues, and he participated in his first padded practice in almost a year on Wednesday. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa State was excused from practice on Thursday, although owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he expects Irving to play this weekend.
The defensive tackle’s talent is undeniable, as he compiled seven sacks in eight games last season. However, considering how long he’s been out of the lineup, it’s unlikely he immediately replaces Antwaun Woods or Tyrone Crawford in the starting lineup.
Cowboys Notes: Irving, Bryant
- Earlier today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made clear the team wouldn’t be bringing back Dez Bryant despite the receiver’s eagerness to return to Dallas. Now his son Stephen Jones, the team’s player personnel boss, has elaborated on why. The younger Jones said it has a lot to do with quarterback Dak Prescott, saying “the last thing unfortunately that Dak needs right now is to continue to change a lot of things up again.” The Cowboys’ receiving corp has been much maligned, but it sounds like it will be staying as is.
- Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving is coming back from suspension this week. It’s a huge boost to Dallas’ defense, but to make room for him on the roster they’ll have to make a tough decision. It’s getting close to game day and they still haven’t made the call, so David Moore of Dallas News broke down all their potential options. Jones has said Irving will play, so something will need to be done in the next 36 hours or so.
Cowboys Won’t Re-Sign Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant says he would prefer to sign with the Cowboys over any other team. Unfortunately for Bryant, it doesn’t sound like his wish will come true. For the umpteenth time this season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated that he will not re-sign the wide receiver. 
“I know I’m the one to ask in response to that,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Friday (via Stefan Stevenson of the Star Telegram). “We’re friends, to say the least. I mirror feelings of that nature. It just seems like Dez is a Cowboy. But we have to look at what we’re all having to deal with and that is what’s in the best interest of the team and that’s a different story there.”
The latest wave of Bryant-to-the-Cowboys speculation made some sense, particularly with Terrance Williams‘ status up in the air. Still, the Cowboys are 2-2 after edging out the Lions on Sunday, and Jones isn’t panicking.
“Trust me, if it were in our best interest, his and ours and the teams, then he would be on the field for the Cowboys,” Jones said. “I agree where we are and his status right now. I agree with that. Is that a clear answer?”
With that, it sounds like Bryant will have to focus his attention on another team. That is, if another club makes him a suitable offer between now and the end of the season.
Cowboys May Place Frederick On IR
The Cowboys are leaning toward placing center Travis Frederick on injured reserve to make room for the return of defensive tackle David Irving, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram (on Twitter) hears. Hill stresses that no final decision has been made on the matter, but the Cowboys will have to drop someone from the roster between now and Sunday night’s game against the Texans. 
Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome before the start of the season but the Cowboys did not place him on IR, leaving open the possibility that he could return before Week 8. As of Sept. 7, Frederick was still experiencing numbness in both of his arms, so the All-Pro could be a long way from getting back on the field.
Frederick, 27, started 80 consecutive games for the Cowboys before this setback. A four-time Pro Bowler, Frederick graded as the league’s No. 3 center in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. He inked a six-year, $56.4MM extension in 2016, a deal that now ranks fourth on an annual basis among centers behind Ryan Jensen, Brandon Linder, and Weston Richburg.
The Cowboys offensive line has struggled a bit without Frederick in the middle, but the front five held up nicely against the Lions on Sunday. That’s good news for Dallas since Joe Looney may have to start at center for at least another two months.
NFL Meeting Forces Gregory To Miss Practice
- Randy Gregory‘s reinstatement conditions caused him to miss the Cowboys‘ Thursday practice. The defensive end was in Chicago meeting with medical director of the NFL’s substance-abuse program, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (on Twitter). He most recently attended this type of summit during the preseason. The NFL reinstated Gregory this summer after his extensive substance-abuse-induced hiatus. His status for Week 5 doesn’t appear to be in question. Gregory’s played 64 snaps this season.
Latest On Cowboys’ Terrance Williams
Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams was with the Cowboys as they practiced on Thursday morning, but his participation was limited to work on the sidelines with strength coaches, as Clarence E. Hill of the Star Telegram writes. Williams missed the Cowboys’ game over the weekend as well as Wednesday’s practice because of off-the-field issues, but an ailing left foot is currently holding him back. 
Williams isn’t accustomed to missing time. Before missing Sunday’s win over the Lions, Williams had a playing streak of 83 consecutive games dating back to his rookie campaign. And, despite averaging 46 catches and 672 yards in each of his previous seasons, Williams had just two grabs for 18 yards in his three games this season.
Before the foot injury came to light, the biggest issue plaguing Williams was a pending suspension for crashing his car into a pole. Although Williams was not charged with a DUI, it is believed that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Now, Williams could be on the verge of being placed on injured reserve, so the suspension would be something of a moot point.
Williams is in the second year of a four-year, $17MM deal and stands as the Cowboys’ priciest receiver. The Cowboys, in theory, can save $2.25MM by releasing him in the offseason, though they would be left with $2.5MM in dead money.
Tony Romo Would Have Only Played For Cowboys
Tony Romo was never going to play for a club other than the Cowboys before retiring last spring, owner Jerry Jones told reporters, including Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). At one point, teams such as the Broncos and Texans discussed a trade for Romo, but ultimately decided to wait and see if he was released by Dallas. Romo also later admitted that he considered the Jets before hanging up his cleats, but it sounds as though it was Cowboys-or-bust for the veteran signal-caller. Indeed, at least one report last fall indicated Romo would only come out of retirement to play for the Cowboys, but Dak Prescott never suffered any injury that forced Dallas to call its longtime quarterback.
Dez Bryant Wants To Return To Cowboys
If the Cowboys need a wide receiver, Dez Bryant is just a phone call away. When asked about his next landing spot by a fan on Twitter, Bryant replied that his preference would be to re-sign with the Cowboys. If not, however, he says he’ll be “ready to play somewhere else.” 
It appears that time has healed the wounds – at least, on Bryant’s side. After the Cowboys released Bryant at a most inopportune time this offseason, the wide receiver set out to sign with a rival NFC East club so that he could make the Cowboys pay twice in the regular season. That opportunity never came to fruition for the veteran, which may explain why he’s softened his anti-Dallas stance.
The Cowboys’ lack of star power at the wide receiver position has been well-documented, and both Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have been cordial when discussing Bryant in recent months. Still, as recently as two weeks ago, the younger Jones indicated that the team is not interested in a reunion.
Sources close to Bryant believe that he’ll sign sometime in October, but it’s anyone’s guess as to which team will bite.