David Irving - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Remove 4 O-Linemen From Reserve/COVID-19 List

October 25th, 2020 at 7:45am CST by Sam Robinson

Oct 25: Saturday’s COVID-19 tests for Miller, Good, Hudson, and Jackson came back negative, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). All four will be available for the Raiders’ battle with the Bucs this afternoon.

Oct. 24: As of Saturday afternoon, the NFL has avoided another major schedule issue. Sunday afternoon’s Raiders-Buccaneers game is a go, and the hosts could well be better equipped to pull an upset.

The Raiders removed offensive linemen Kolton Miller, Denzelle Good, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson from their reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. The team had placed its other four starting O-linemen on the list because they were deemed high-risk close contacts of Trent Brown, who tested positive for the coronavirus this week.

Brown will miss Sunday’s game, but his blocking mates are on track to play. However, they will not be officially cleared to do so until their Saturday coronavirus tests come back clean, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The team will obtain that information Sunday. Its four non-Brown O-line starters receiving clearance will certainly help Las Vegas’ cause against a Tampa Bay defense ranked first in DVOA through six games.

Recently signed defensive lineman David Irving is also set to make his Raiders debut. Reinstated from an 18-plus-month suspension just last week, Irving signed with the Raiders as a practice squad player. The Raiders will see what the former Cowboys starter can do beginning Sunday. Irving, 27, has not played since the 2018 season, when he saw action in only two games, and has been suspended four times by the NFL. In 2017, however, the interior pass rusher notched seven sacks in just eight games (all starts).

Raiders To Sign DL David Irving

October 20th, 2020 at 1:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

David Irving is indeed headed to Las Vegas. The Raiders are signing the recently reinstated defensive lineman, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

This came together pretty quickly, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there had been some communication between these sides for a while as Irving waited for the go-ahead from the league office. The reinstatement from Roger Goodell came on October 16th, and on the 17th we heard the Raiders were hosting him on a visit. Irving’s young career has already seen him suspended four times, thrice for substance abuse policy violations and once for PEDs.

His most recent ban was an indefinite one that ended up lasting over 18 months. An UDFA out of Iowa State in 2015, Irving has only appeared in two games since the 2017 season, but he showed plenty of flashes early on with the Cowboys. In only eight games with Dallas in 2017, he racked up seven sacks and six passes defended.

After hist most recent suspension Irving originally announced he was retiring in March of 2019, in part due to the league’s marijuana policy. After sitting out last season he had a change of heart, and announced back in February that he was hoping for a return. It took about eight months for him to get approval from Goodell, and now he’ll join a Raiders team looking to make a push in the AFC.

Raiders defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was Irving’s defensive coordinator in Dallas, which helps explain the connection. It’s anyone’s guess as to what Irving will look like or how soon he’ll be in game shape, but it’s a nice low-risk flyer for a team in need of pass-rushing help.

Raiders Hosting DL David Irving On Visit

October 17th, 2020 at 4:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after the NFL conditionally reinstated defensive lineman David Irving, he booked a visit. The Raiders are hosting the former Cowboys pass rusher, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The conditional reinstatement — after an 18-plus-month suspension — allows Irving to make free agent visits. He is not yet eligible to play, however. Still, the Raiders will take a look at the once-productive Cowboys D-lineman.

Irving has been suspended four times over the course of his four-year career. Substance-abuse policy violations resulted in three of those bans; a positive PED test triggered the other penalty. After a stay on the Chiefs’ practice squad, Irving played four seasons with the Cowboys. His most recent season (2018) included just two games and ended with an injury and a leave of absence.

Prior to Irving’s March 2019 suspension, the Cowboys were not planning to re-sign him. Irving said shortly after he was done with football, but he has worked his way back to conditional reinstatement.

The Raiders hired former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli this offseason. Marinelli works as Las Vegas’ defensive line coach. He coached Irving in each of the pass rusher’s four seasons in Dallas. Irving mostly operated as a depth player in Dallas, with suspensions preventing him from being a steady performer. That said, he did register seven sacks in eight regular-season games (all starts) for the 2017 Cowboys. Irving, 27, has flashed as both an interior and edge rusher and may be set to receive another opportunity soon.

NFL Conditionally Reinstates DL David Irving

October 16th, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving may receive another chance soon. The NFL granted the veteran defender conditional reinstatement Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Suspended under the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, Irving applied for reinstatement in July. The oft-banned defensive lineman may well have the opportunity to redeem himself under a CBA more lenient (at least, suspension-wise) regarding substance abuse.

The league handed Irving an indefinite ban in March 2019. Unlike Randy Gregory, Irving is no longer under contract with the Cowboys. He is a free agent. It is not certain when Irving will be fully eligible to play, however, so the former UDFA may wait a bit longer before he receives a path back to the field.

Irving, however, may work out for teams under the terms of the conditional reinstatement. It has been a long time since he last played, though. The Iowa State alum has not suited up for a game since October 2018, when an injury and a subsequent personal issue ended his fourth Cowboys season.

Irving, 27, has gone from being prepared to quit football (March 2019) to applying for reinstatement. He has been suspended four times, including once for performance-enhancing substances, but has taken steps to resume his career.

When on the field, the edge and interior pass rusher has shown productivity. Irving recorded seven sacks in eight games in 2017. The Cowboys used him as a starter throughout his abbreviated ’17 season but did not plan to re-sign him after his contract expired following the ’18 campaign.

Extra Points: Gordon, Brown, Thomas, Texans

October 4th, 2020 at 5:37pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A pair of high profile players, receiver Josh Gordon of the Seahawks and defensive lineman David Irving, are both still waiting on answers from the league office. Both are suspended indefinitely, and decisions on reinstatement are overdue under the terms set by the collective bargaining agreement, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Gordon applied for reinstatement in June and Irving in July and neither has heard back yet despite the CBA stipulating a decision is supposed to be made within 60 days, according to Schefter.”David has done everything asked of him,” Irving’s agent Steve Weinberg said. “He’s been drug tested, he’s met with doctors and I don’t get it. Why have 60 days in the program if they’re not going to abide by it.”

“We’re baffled why we don’t have a decision,” Weinberg continued. “We’re at a loss as to why this hasn’t been ruled on yet.” Gordon has an agreement in place with the Seahawks, but can’t officially sign until Roger Goodell gives him the go-ahead. Irving is a free agent. Both have been suspended numerous times for substance abuse policy violations, and Irving announced in 2019 he was quitting football before changing his mind back in February. Both players are talented and still relatively young, and it’s unclear what the holdup is. Perhaps the league scrambling to make COVID-19 related changes has put certain things on the backburner. We’ll keep you posted whenever the league responds.

Here’s more from around the league:

Speaking of guys in trouble with the league office, we have an Antonio Brown update to pass along. The embattled receiver is dropping his countersuit against the woman who accused him of sexual assault, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). He also requested an extension to turn over evidence related to the civil case against him. In a follow-up tweet Pelissero notes that his suspension could be extended if new evidence emerges. Brown is now halfway through the eight-game suspension he was hit with earlier this year. Given his undeniable talent it would seem likely a team gives him a shot at some point once his ban is over if he can avoid anymore off-field trouble. Texans coach Bill O’Brien seemed to leave the door open to bringing in Brown a couple of weeks ago, but that was quickly followed by a report indicating that won’t be happening.
Brown isn’t the only controversial veteran the Texans have flirted with. Last week it looked like Earl Thomas was on the verge of signing in Houston, only for things to fall apart at the last minute. Now we have more clarity on what changed. “Numerous” Texans players spoke up about their desire not to have the veteran safety in the locker room, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. That apparently convinced O’Brien, who is also the team’s GM, to back off. Thomas has developed a reputation for being difficult to get along with in recent years, even though that wasn’t an issue early in his career with the Seahawks. He had a bitter divorce from Seattle, and was then of course cut by the Ravens after getting into a fight with a teammate and having Baltimore’s veterans ask the front office for his release. Houston played the Ravens in Week 2, and La Canfora notes that the subject of Thomas came up during conversations between players on the two teams. If he’s this strongly disliked by some of his fellow players, it could be a while before Thomas finds a new home.

Cowboys Expect Randy Gregory Return

March 22nd, 2020 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

9:48pm: Gregory has made the move to file for reinstatement, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. The league has 60 days to approve or deny the application.

9:30pm: The new CBA significantly loosened constraints for non-PED substance abuse, and at least one player who ran afoul of the previous CBA’s off-field guidelines may be set for a return to action.

The Cowboys are expecting Randy Gregory to be reinstated and be back with the team next season, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. A former second-round pick remains suspended indefinitely. Gregory missed the entire 2017 and ’19 seasons because of substance-abuse suspensions; he registered six sacks in 2018. The 27-year-old defensive end said recently he wants to play next season.

Gregory plans to apply for reinstatement soon, and Moore notes the Cowboys are willing to give him another chance. His Cowboys contract runs through the 2020 season. Gregory was set to apply for reinstatement last summer, but Moore indicates a slip-up in his aftercare program helped put those plans on hold.

This CBA will only produce marijuana-based suspensions in extreme cases (and only when players fail to cooperate with treatment) and, while DUIs will be dealt with in a stricter manner than they once were, other substance-abuse restrictions have been loosened. This leaves Gregory and others in limbo, but the Cowboys are optimistic on this front. This will, however, be an interesting challenge for Roger Goodell. Gregory has been suspended four times since coming into the league.

The Cowboys, however, are not planning on having David Irving back. The NFL suspended Irving indefinitely because of substance abuse, doing so just before the defensive lineman was to enter free agency last year. While the Cowboys retain his rights, Moore adds they have moved on.

David Irving Hopes For NFL Return

February 25th, 2020 at 10:41am CST by Zachary Links

In March of last year, the NFL handed David Irving an indefinite suspension for violations of the substance abuse policy. This week, the defensive lineman took to Instagram to announce that he is in the midst of the reinstatement process.

In the video, Irving said that he’s encouraged by the NFL’s potential revamp of its policies against marijuana. There’s still a lot to be ironed out in the collective bargaining agreement talks, but it certainly seems like the final version will include reform for weed and other fines against players.

Soon after his ban, Irving announced his retirement from the NFL. The defensive lineman says that it came at the urging of former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.

“He told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told Jori Epstein of USA Today. “I’m a distraction to the team. He views marijuana as a drug, whereas I view it as a medicine. It’s not a good situation.”

At the same time, Irving said that owner Jerry Jones was supportive of him and his efforts to change the NFL’s drug policies. Since his exit from football, Irving has been an advocate for cannabis and it’s pain-mitigating properties.

Irving tallied seven sacks in just eight games in 2017. In 2018, he was limited to just two games.

Cowboys Notes: Lawrence, Irving, Jones

March 29th, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones had hip surgery this week, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. The issue started for Jones during the 2018 season and the club initially hoped that it would heal with rest. Unfortunately, things did not improve, forcing Jones to go under the knife. The good news is that the team believes Jones could be ready for training camp.

To date, the 26-year-old (27 in September) has not missed an NFL game. Last year, the Cowboys shifted Jones back to cornerback after spending the previous two seasons at safety and he thrived. Jones led the club with 15 pass breakups and earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career.

Jones figures to be a part of the club’s plans moving forward and an extension could be on the way. For now, he’s set to play out his fifth-year option in 2019 at a salary of $6.26MM.

Here’s more from Dallas:

Cowboys exec Stephen Jones says Demarcus Lawrence‘s desire to get paid like Von Miller and Aaron Donald is holding up negotiations. “The top two guys, I’m sure that is why we’re struggling a little bit,” Jones said (via the Dallas Morning News). “There is a delta between the top two guys and where the rest of the edge rushers and pressure players have been paid up to this point. We’re motivated to do it right now. We were motivated to do it before we put the tag on him. At the same time, we have some conviction of the range he should be in in terms of his compensation and I’m sure they have some conviction of what they’re asking for. I’m not being critical, but therein lies the root of the negotiations.” The Cowboys are offering Lawrence $20MM per season, but Lawrence recently upped his asking price to $22.5MM/year.
Defensive tackle David Irving has retired from the NFL, and as he tells it, it was coach Jason Garrett‘s suggested course of action. “He told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told Jori Epstein of USA Today. “I’m a distraction to the team. He views marijuana as a drug, whereas I view it as a medicine. It’s not a good situation.” Meanwhile, Irving says owner Jerry Jones was supportive of him and expressed disagreement with the NFL’s drug policies that landed him an indefinite suspension. Irving, meanwhile, plans to be a pro-marijuana advocate in his post-football life with a focus on how CBD can help NFL players deal with pain.
On Thursday, the Cowboys acquired pass rusher Robert Quinn from the Dolphins, which should help to reinforce their D-Line after losing Irving to retirement and Randy Gregory to an indefinite ban. Of course, they could be left with a glaring hole on the other side if they are unable to reach a long-term deal with Lawrence.

David Irving Says He’s Quitting Football

March 7th, 2019 at 10:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving said on Instagram that he’s quitting football after being suspended indefinitely by the NFL last week (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News).

Irving was smoking marijuana while making the statement, so take it with a grain of salt. Only 26 years old, Irving has dealt with myriad off-field issues during his time in the NFL, and it’s clear he’ll need to go through a lengthy reinstatement process — one that likely involves some form of rehab and counseling sessions — before he gets back on the field.

Still a talented player, Irving posted seven sacks in eight games as recently as 2017, but he’s only been available for 10 total contests over the past two seasons. Scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next week, Irving could have been poised to cash in on the open market. Instead, he’s unlikely to garner any interest until his status with the NFL is resolved.

Cowboys’ David Irving Banned Indefinitely

March 1st, 2019 at 3:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Defensive tackle David Irving was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, according to a league press release. The Cowboys were reportedly ready to let Irving walk in free agency due to a variety of issues, but this marks the second indefinite ban to a Cowboys defender in the last week.

Just days ago, linebacker Randy Gregory was hit with an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for the umpteenth time. Irving, meanwhile, has been battling his own demons and had a tumultuous 2018 season.

For the second time in a row, Irving missed the start of the year with a drug suspension. Then, he was entangled in a custody battle for his daughter last year and was served with a restraining order from the mother of his child. He suited up just twice for Dallas in 2018.

In 2017, he missed eight games between his suspension and late-season concussion.In between, though, he was terrific, as he registered seven sacks in eight games.

Irving was in line to receive interest from teams looking to beef up the front seven, but he has some serious hurdles to clear before he can think about retaking the field.