Cowboys Notes: Irving, Gregory, Su’a-Filo
Suspended defensive tackle David Irving is back in the Cowboys’ facility, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Irving was banned four games under the NFL’s substance abuse policy, so he’s allowed to be with the club for workouts and meetings, but not practices. Conversely, Irving wasn’t granted any access with Dallas when he was suspended for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy in 2017. After posting seven sacks in only eight games last season, Irving wasn’t present for Cowboys training camp as he dealt with personal issues. He’s scheduled to return to the field in Week 5 when the Cowboys face the Texans on the road.
Here’s more from Dallas:
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones pushed back on recent reports that defensive end Randy Gregory could be facing yet another substance abuse suspension, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “I don’t think these reports have any substance at all, if you really want to know the truth about it,” Jones said Tuesday. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier this week that Gregory had suffered a relapse in August and could be banned from the league again, but the NFL has yet to make any formal announcement to that effect. Gregory, of course, has missed 30 of the Cowboys’ past 32 regular season games, including the entire 2017 season, as a result of his violations.
- Guard Xavier Su’a-Filo‘s deal with the Cowboys is actually a two-year pact and contains a $50K signing bonus, tweets Archer. The fact that Dallas gave Su’a-Filo a multi-year deal could be an indication the club is relatively high on the former second-round pick, and may believe he can factor into its 2019 plans. Su’a-Filo likely received league minimum base salaries, but his contract won’t be classified as a minimum salary benefit deal given that it covers multiple years. Now 27 years old, Su’a-Filo gives the Cowboys a bit of interior offensive line depth as they wait for center Travis Frederick to return.
- Speaking of Frederick, he reportedly continues to experience numbness in both arms as he deals with the effects of Guillain Barre syndrome, and it’s unclear when he’ll be able to get back on the field.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/18
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: OL Kadeem Edwards
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Shamarko Thomas
Detroit Lions
- Claimed off waivers: G Jamil Demby
- Waived: WR Bradley Marquez
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers: CB Deante Burton
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Trevor Davis
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Shareece Wright
Indianapolis Colts
- Released from injured reserve: WR Matt Hazel, DE Anthony Johnson, DE Chris McCain
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from suspension: DE Dante Fowler Jr.
- Waived: DT Michael Bennett
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from injured reserve: FB Malcolm Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Keenan Reynolds
- Waived: S Shalom Luani
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Marcus Williams
- Released: OL Adam Gettis
- Released from injured reserve: LB Devante Bond, LB Riley Bullough, CB De’Vante Harris
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Kenny Ladler
- Waived: LB Josh Keyes
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Cam Sims
Cowboys Sign G Xavier Su’a-Filo
The Cowboys have agreed to sign free agent guard Xavier Su’a-Filo, according to his agents at Schwartz and Feinsod (Twitter link).
Su’a-Filo, 27, worked out for Dallas last week, so the Cowboys know what they’re getting in the former second-round pick. The UCLA product started 40 games for the Texans from 2015-17, but Houston made little effort to re-sign him this offseason. Su’a-Filo landed a one-year deal with the Titans in March, but didn’t survive final cutdowns.
The Cowboys are currently without starting center Travis Frederick as he deals with the effects of Guillain Barre syndrome, and while Su’a-Filo hasn’t played center in his NFL career, he will give Dallas more depth along the interior offensive line. Other reserve lineman on the Cowboys’ roster include Cameron Fleming, Kadeem Edwards, and Adam Redmond.
Randy Gregory Suffered Relapse, Could Be Suspended
Less than two months after being reinstated by the NFL, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory may be facing yet another suspension for a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. Schefter says that Gregory suffered a relapse in August, and while he will play in his first regular-season game since 2016 today, his return to the NFL could be short-lived.
The team had thought the NFL would have made its decision as to potential discipline for Gregory last week, but Schefter says the league is still studying the case and deciding how much weight to give to the steps that Gregory has taken since his relapse. As Schefter notes, the league has softened its stance on players who run afoul of the drug policy and has begun to prioritize treatment and support over discipline.
Nonetheless, as Gregory is a repeat offender, he may be unable to escape another ban. He has missed 30 of the past 32 regular-season games, including the entire 2017 season, as a result of his violations.
Gregory, a Nebraska product, has a ton of talent as a pass rusher but has not been able to stay on the field long enough to live up to his promise. After being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2015 draft — and he only made it to the second round because of character concerns — Gregory has only played in 14 games and has one sack to his credit.
However, he was working with the first team in recent weeks and may even start today, which makes this setback even more unfortunate.
No Return In Sight For Travis Frederick
- Cowboys guard Travis Frederick hasn’t been placed on injured reserve “but he continues to have some numbness in both arms” according to Todd Archer of ESPN. It’s a situation far more important than football, and Frederick acknowledged to Archer he has no idea when he’ll be back on the field.
Cowboys Place Parker Ehinger On IR
The Cowboys have taken another hit on their offensive line, as the club announced it’s placed recent trade acquisition Parker Ehinger on injured reserve and signed fellow offensive lineman Kadeem Edwards.
Dallas picked up Ehinger from the Chiefs late last month in exchange for defensive back Charvarius Ward. With Travis Frederick sidelined by Guillian-Barre syndrome, and Zack Martin working his way back from a knee injury (he’ll play in Week 1), the Cowboys were searching for interior offensive line depth. Ehinger, a former fourth-round pick who appeared in six games for Kansas City from 2016-17, was thought to be just that, but he’s now down for the count with his own knee issue.
Edwards, meanwhile, was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 draft, but he’s yet to appear in an NFL game. He’s bounced around the league, spending time with the Buccaneers and Jaguars before landing with the Cowboys in 2016. Edwards was on Dallas’ practice squad for much of the past two years, so he’s certainly familiar with the club’s blocking scheme.
Cowboys Notes: Jones, Lawrence, Gathers
As he enters his mid-seventies, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is slowly handing over control of the franchise to his son, Stephen Jones, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The younger Jones is currently Dallas’ executive vice president, CEO, and director of player personnel, so he’s more than prepared to take on a larger role. Stephen Jones takes a more conservative financial stance than his father, per Moore, which could indicate the Cowboys will have their cap in better order when he eventually takes over. Notably, Stephen pushed the Cowboys to eschew drafting Johnny Manziel in 2014, and lobbied instead to select guard Zack Martin, a win for the club.
- Free agent guard Xavier Su’a-Filo worked out for the Cowboys on Thursday, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. A former second-round pick Su’a-Filo spent four years with the Texans before inking a deal with the Titans earlier this year. He didn’t make it through final roster cuts, which is perhaps unsurprising given that he finished as a bottom-three guard in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. Dallas, though, needs depth along the interior of its offensive line given injuries to Zack Martin and Travis Frederick, so Su’a-Filo could be an option for the club.
- Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is paying attention to the recent extensions signed by fellow defenders Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, and said his free agent price is rising correspondingly, per Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Lawrence will earn $17.143MM under the franchise tender in 2018, but has already said he’s not open to playing on the tag in 2019 (not that he’ll have much of a choice if the Cowboys opt to deploy it again). Now that both Donald and Mack have crossed the $22MM/year threshold, the sky is the limit for Lawrence, who will aim to build on an excellent 2018 campaign that included 14.5 sacks.
- Further details have emerged regarding tight end Rico Gathers‘ recent arrest for marijuana, as Kate Hairopaulos of the Dallas Morning News details. Gathers was arrested after he and a female companion were discovered smoking in Central Park in Frisco, Texas, and police found 0.078 ounces of marijuana on the former collegiate basketball player. Gathers’ arrest became public on Saturday just prior to roster cutdowns, but Dallas decided to keep him around nevertheless. He could potentially serve a brief league-imposed suspension down the line.
Cowboys View Second-Rounder As Max Earl Thomas Offer
By offering the Seahawks a second-round pick, Cowboys tried again recently to land one of this era’s best safeties. Again, they were rebuffed.
The Cowboys are not planning to increase their Earl Thomas offer beyond a second-rounder, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. However, Moore adds that the Cowboys’ interest in Thomas “remains strong.”
But that interest only goes so far. Moore notes the Cowboys are comfortable enough with their current situation at safety to cap their Thomas offer at a second-round pick. Judging by the offer increase, it seems they’re not that comfortable with what they have on their back line.
Dallas has Jeff Heath and Xavier Woods in place as first-stringers under optimal circumstances, but Woods remains out due to injury. The team claimed Ibraheim Campbell off waivers from the Texans over the weekend as well, but Kavon Frazier is expected to start alongside Heath in Week 1.
Thomas intends to report to the Seahawks, but he’s also unhappy with the team. This situation appears headed for a divorce, and the Cowboys are willing to wait, presumably to see if the Seahawks’ price drops as the trade deadline nears. The Cowboys upped their offer to a second-round pick last week, after their max proposal was a third-rounder in April.
So, Thomas-to-Dallas remains a possibility, just one that’s on the back-burner right now.
Cowboys Increased Offer For Earl Thomas
It was reported recently that the Cowboys were offering only a third round pick for All-Pro safety Earl Thomas and weren’t budging. Now the Cowboys have apparently upped their offer a second round pick, but the Seahawks still want more according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
Thomas, one of the last remaining pieces of the Seahawks’ once legendary defense, has held out all offseason in search of a new contract. Seattle has made it clear they have no intentions of giving him one, leading to the current stalemate with no end in sight.
A second round pick is a hefty offer for a player heading into the final year of his deal, so it’s somewhat surprising the Seahawks turned it down, especially considering a second round pick had previously been said to be their asking price. It’s not clear what Seattle’s endgame is here, since Thomas has no plans of reporting to the team anytime soon and appears certain to miss regular season games.
The Cowboys have the potential to have the best defense the team has fielded in years, but could use some help in the secondary. Acquiring Thomas would go a long way toward solidifying their defense as a top unit, so it makes sense why they’re being aggressive here. With the season just days away, this situation could develop further at any moment. Stay tuned.
Cowboys Planned On Re-Signing Brian Price To 53
- The Raiders threw a wrench into the plans of the Cowboys when they claimed defensive tackle Brian Price off waivers, according to Todd Archer of ESPN (Twitter link). Archer writes that the team planned on re-signing Price when they placed Dante Jones on injured reserve, but that they never got the chance, and that they will now be searching for a new defensive tackle.
- In case you missed it, despite not having much experience behind Dak Prescott, the Cowboys won’t be in the market for a backup quarterback.