Police Close Case Against David Irving
Police have closed their investigation against Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A former girlfriend of Irving hacked his Twitter account in April and accused him of domestic violence, but he has since recanted her claims. 
Initially, Cops probed Irving on allegations of assault causing bodily injury to a family member; assault against a family member while impeding breath/circulation, and unlawful restraint. The charge of impeding one’s breath/circulation (which, effectively, means choking someone) is a felony.
While Irving will not be charged in relation to this case, the NFL may conduct its own investigation into what transpired. If the league finds that the allegations had merit – despite the findings of police – he could still be subject to a suspension or fine down the road.
This offseason, Irving was retained via a one-year, $2.9MM restricted tender. After the 2018 season, he’ll be on course for unrestricted free agency.
Irving emerged as a playmaker in limited action in 2016 by logging four sacks and four forced fumbles. His 2017 season was cut short due to a concussion and a four-game suspension at the season’s outset, but he still managed seven sacks in eight games. That was good for the second-highest total on the team, trailing only Demarcus Lawrence.
Opinion: Cowboys Will Add Safety
- Jon Machota of the Dallas News believes the Cowboys will add a veteran safety between now and the start of the regular season. The Cowboys have been connected to Seahawks star Earl Thomas this offseason, but so far, nothing has happened on that front. Meanwhile, as a part of his admittedly early roster projection, he classifies Tavon Austin as a running back. Austin could still factor into the passing game, but Machota believes he’ll run the ball as much as he catches it.
NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Prescott, ‘Skins
The Cowboys are already planning to back up a Brinks truck for quarterback Dak Prescott when the times comes, as Charean Williams of PFT writes.
“Yeah, you know at that position, it kind of is what it is,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “You kind of, when the time comes, [expect to pay him]. I know Dak is going to have a good year this year. I hope it’s up there. It’s going to be as he deserves. He was a fourth-round pick. No one deserves to get paid fairly more than he does. We all see what some of the other guys are who aren’t Aaron Rodgers, who aren’t Matt Ryan [are getting paid]. He’s going to do well. We certainly know that’s going to happen. We’ve got that planned in our budgeting for the salary cap. I just want Dak to go out and be MVP this year of the NFL. That’s what I want. Then, we’ll deal with that.”
For now, Prescott is under contract through the 2019 season with below market cap numbers of $726K and $815K in the next two years. Per NFL rules, Prescott cannot renegotiate his deal until after the 2018 season is through.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Cowboys are on the lookout for safety help, Williams writes. For now, Xavier Woods is penciled in as the starter at free safety following Byron Jones‘ shift to cornerback. “Absolutely. I mean, we don’t ever quit looking in terms of player acquisition,” Jones said. “One of the things that is unique is, when you have players with versatility, it probably makes you feel a little better…We feel like, overall, we’re very comfortable and confident where we are. But there’s still a lot of work to do between now and the start of the season.”
- The Redskins let go of longtime scout Scott Campbell who spent 17 years with the club and was the director of college scouting through the 2017 draft, as Mike Florio of PFT tweets. The team says that they simply did not offer Campbell a new contract after the expiration of his old deal, but that’s really a matter of semantics.
- Earlier today, we rounded up other news on the Cowboys, including items on Randy Gregory‘s reinstatement and the team’s post-Jason Witten plans.
Cowboys Rumors: Gregory, Witten, Crawford
The latest out of Dallas:
- Cowboys defensive end Tyrone Crawford has spoken to the league the last couple of weeks to argue for the reinstatement of suspended defensive lineman Randy Gregory, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram tweets. Crawford’s believe is that it is best for Gregory to be around the team as he looks to get his personal life and football career back on track. The Cowboys are hopeful that Gregory will be allowed to play in 2018, but they are not banking on him playing.
- The Cowboys not interested in adding a veteran tight end to make up for Jason Witten retiring, Jon Machota of the Dallas News tweets. Instead, as exec Stephen Jones has said in the past, the team wants to give the opportunity to the tight ends already on the roster. Not counting UDFA’s, the Cowboys’ TE depth chart is comprised of Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, fourth-round pick Dalton Schultz, and Rico Gathers.
- Kansas head coach David Beaty believes defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr. fell to the Cowboys in the fourth round because of his weight and lack of quickness at the combine and pro day (link via Jori Epstein of the Dallas News). Assuming Armstrong gets his conditioning in order, Beaty believes the Cowboys have a tremendous steal on their hands. In 2016, Armstrong had a breakout year with ten sacks for the Jayhawks.
Cowboys To Meet With Terrell McClain
The Cowboys have scheduled a meeting with defensive tackle Terrell McClain, Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan tweets. McClain played for the Cowboys from 2014-2016, so the team is already familiar with what he offers. 
After McClain was cut by the Redskins last week, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay indicated that the team would be open to a reunion.
“We’re gonna look at opportunities to improve the team. He had a great run here and if he wants to come back we’ll definitely look at it,” the exec said.
During his time in Dallas, McClain appeared in 30 games and started all 15 of his contests in 2016.
McClain played in 30 games for the Cowboys and started all 15 he played during the 2016 season. That ’16 season represented the best of his career as he put up 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Last year, however, he graded out as one of the three worst qualified defensive tackles in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. A change of scenery – or, rather, a return to the scenery that suited him best – could help him turn things around.
Tony Romo Calls Jason Witten "Best" Player He Played With
- Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff says he’s still hoping to add defensive line depth in free agency (Twitter link via 92.9 The Game). That would help to explain Atlanta’s recent interest in former Redskins and Cowboys defensive tackle Terrell McClain. After losing defensive tackle Dontari Poe to the Panthers and Adrian Clayborn to the Patriots earlier this offseason, the Falcons are looking to restock the front four.
- Long-time Cowboys star Jason Witten announced his retirement earlier today, and his former quarterback penned the tight end a farewell letter. “Sometimes in life you are lucky to come across someone that will change your life,” Tony Romo wrote on Twitter. “Most of the time you don’t realize it at the moment the profound impact and impression someone will have on you. The difference with Jason Witten is that I knew right away the impact he would have on me. Not only was Jason the most talented, humble and hardest working individual on our football team, but he was one of the most genuine, good-hearted people you could ever meet.” Romo also referred to Witten as the “best” player he ever played with.
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Cowboys Still Interested In Earl Thomas
It appears the Cowboys’ refusal to send a second-round pick to the Seahawks for Earl Thomas did not squash their interest in acquiring the three-time All-Pro safety. The Cowboys remain in the Thomas market, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, but it’s unclear how badly the franchise wants to execute a deal.
Moore reports the Cowboys are still interested in trading for Thomas. However, despite a rather interesting safety setup that features Jeff Heath and 2017 sixth-rounder Xavier Woods as the penciled-in starters, they aren’t desperate for his services. Moore notes they will be willing to wait out the Seahawks’ situation with Thomas.
John Schneider does not expect his superstar safety to hold out, despite repeated threats at doing so, and the Seattle GM reiterated that’s the sense he’s getting.
“My sense is that he wants to be here,” Schenider said Thursday, via ESPN Seattle’s Jessamyn McIntyre (Twitter link). “I haven’t got that sense from his agents at all.”
The Cowboys are searching for safety help, and while it’s a good year to do that — with Eric Reid, Tre Boston and Kenny Vaccaro still oddly unattached nearly two months into the 2018 league year — Thomas brings a much higher pedigree. The soon-to-be 29-year-old defender remains one of the top players at his position, and the Texas native surely wouldn’t be upset if the Cowboys acquired him.
Despite Dallas’ need at safety, the team didn’t inquire about trading up for Derwin James once he fell in Round 1, Moore reports, and selected an offensive lineman in Round 2 and a wideout in Round 3. Executive VP Stephen Jones said the team considered drafting a safety, and Jerry Jones said the team is interested in finding veteran help. Jerry Jones added post-draft that the Cowboys have cornerbacks who can play safety, perhaps indicating Byron Jones‘ shift to cornerback may not be permanent.
Moore writes that Thomas can help facilitate this by holding out and/or refusing to sign a Seahawks extension. One year remains on his deal. But for now, Seattle brass continues to publicly state they expect Thomas to remain their secondary’s centerpiece this season.
Jason Witten Announces Retirement
In an emotional press conference, Cowboys tight end Jason Witten announced his retirement from football. As widely reported over the past week, Witten will be stepping into the broadcast booth for Monday Night Football. 
“After much self-reflection, prayer, and faith, I have decided that the time has come for me to pass the torch to the next generation of Dallas Cowboys and retire from the National Football League,” said Witten to a room full of media members, teammates, and family.
Witten entered the league as a third-round pick of the Cowboys in the 2003 NFL Draft. He missed one game as a rookie due to a broken jaw, but otherwise had a flawless attendance record throughout his 15-year career. With 1,152 catches for 12,448 yards and 68 touchdowns and a franchise record of 235 consecutive games played, Witten has a strong case for the Hall of Fame.
Last season wasn’t Witten’s best, but he still had 63 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns and secured his eleventh Pro Bowl selection as a replacement for Zach Ertz. When Witten informed Jerry Jones of his plan to transition into broadcasting, the Cowboys owner begged him to reconsider and reportedly made it a tough call for the tight end. Ultimately, Witten did not want to miss his opportunity to grab one of the most prestigious broadcasting jobs in the NFL.
Witten’s retirement will leave a serious void in the Cowboys’ locker room, as well as their tight end depth chart. Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones has indicated that the team can get by with a group that includes Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, and Rico Gathers, but it stands to reason that they will also comb the free agent market for tight ends. Antonio Gates stands as the most recognizable TE available in a thinned-out group, but roster cuts between now and September could present some quality options for Dallas.
Witten’s eleven Pro Bowl selections are good for second amongst any tight end in league history, trailing only Tony Gonzalez (14). After that, Gates and Shannon Sharpe are tied for third with eight selections. Given that Sharpe is in the Hall of Fame, it seems probable that Witten is also Canton-bound.
Browns Waive RB Darius Jackson
The Browns announced that they have waived running back Darius Jackson. Linebacker Dominique Alexander has also been let go with a failed physical designation.
Jackson entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2016. In December of that year, he was cut to make room for the return of Darren McFadden and the Browns scooped him up off of waivers. The Browns weren’t the only team with interest – the Eagles, Giants, and 49ers all tried to land Jackson, but lost out to Cleveland due to waiver priority.
The Eastern Michigan product has still yet to see the field in a real NFL game. Last summer, a knee injury ended Jackson’s season before it could start. If he is healthy now, he figures to draw consideration from teams and those aforementioned clubs could get involved.
Alexander, who entered the league as a UDFA out of Oklahoma in 2016, was a special teams player who also lost his 2017 season to a knee injury. Alexander’s role as a linebacker/special teamer will likely be filled by fifth-round pick Genard Avery.
Cowboys’ Jason Witten To Retire, Join ESPN
It’s a done deal. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has informed owner Jerry Jones and coach Jason Garrett that he will retire in order to join the Monday Night Football broadcast booth, multiple sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Witten first informed the Cowboys of the offer to join MNF before the draft, but Jones implored Witten to think it over for a few days. Although it was believed from the get-go that Witten would follow through on retirement, the veteran struggled with the decision for the last week, Archer hears.
Witten leaves the game with the fourth-most catches in NFL history (1,152) behind only Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez, and Larry Fitzgerald. He’s also leaving football without the Super Bowl ring he has chased since 2003, which is probably part of what made the decision difficult for him.
Top tier broadcasting jobs such as the color commentary position in the Monday Night Football booth rarely become available and Witten did not want to let this opportunity pass him by. He’s also not taking much of a pay cut – he would have earned $6.5MM in total from the Cowboys this year, but ESPN will pay him in the range of $4MM to $4.5MM.
Witten was a hot commodity in broadcasting this year as another mystery network also pursued him. Witten ultimately settled on ESPN, meaning that each of the NFL’s big three broadcasting partners will employ ex-Cowboys as their top color commentators.