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Guess who’s back? David Irving’s back, but who will be released so that he can be back?
If you’re worried about the state of the Dallas Cowboys pass rush or defense as a whole, you can breathe just a bit easier knowing reinforcements are on the way. David Irving has officially returned from his suspension.
Irving missed the first quarter of the season, but fellow pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence carried things nicely along that position group in his absence. The idea of the two of them rushing together, especially considering what Lawrence has done this season, is a good one for Cowboys fans.
The only caveat to having Irving return is that the Cowboys must release a player from their 53-man roster in order to make room for him. Who could that be? Here are five potential options.
Bene Benwikere
When the Cowboys got Damontre Moore back from suspension (we did the whole “let’s guess who’s cut” thing then as well) they made room by releasing linebacker Jayrone Elliott.
Elliott had been acquired during the final stage of 53-man roster construction at the end of the preseason, so his release was understandable. He hadn’t done anything for the Cowboys, and Anthony Hitchens might be closer to a return than initially thought.
What’s that got to do with this, though? Another player acquired when Elliott was, both of whom were traded for, was cornerback Bene Benwikere. He could be the odd man out.
Jourdan Lewis has played admirably for the Cowboys in that position group. Lewis aside, the Cowboys can depend on both Anthony Brown and Orlando Scandrick. Chidobe Awuzie and Nolan Carroll both figure to return from injuries soon, and that could all constitute a recipe that yields a flavor Benwikere doesn’t prefer, making him the most expendable.
Brian Price
The third musketeer acquired when Elliott and Benwikere were was defensive tackle Brian Price (although he was claimed off waivers while they were traded for). This was a particularly surprising move when paired with the Cowboys release of Cedric Thornton.
Beyond Price, the Cowboys only have two defensive tackles on the roster, Maliek Collins and Stephen Paea. Price isn’t exactly playing at the same rate as Collins or Paea, which might mean the Cowboys are willing to part ways with him.
Of course, Price does provide legitimate depth. If the Cowboys handed him his walking papers and then saw an injury to that position group, well they’d obviously be sorry.
Charles Tapper
There is a lot of potential that Charles Tapper offers as a pass rusher to the Dallas Cowboys. That being said, the Cowboys have chosen to make Tapper a healthy scratch in each of the last two games in favor of Damontre Moore. While many would suggest activating Tapper over rookie first-round pick Taco Charlton, this doesn’t seem to be of preference to the Cowboys.
It’s apparent that Tapper is the most expendable pass rusher the Cowboys employ, and if they choose to not let go of someone at another position to make room for Irving, Tapper could be the choice they make.
Darren McFadden
So much of this potential release also hinges on what happens with Ezekiel Elliott.
We don’t know the results of the court hearing in New Orleans with Elliott, and if he were to be suspended that would clear a roster spot anyway. If the Cowboys were to get a result indicating Zeke could play all season, they might not be as attached to the idea of holding on to McFadden for the rest of the year.
Darren McFadden has been inactive in every single one of the Cowboys games this season. What’s more, Alfred Morris jolted the perception of him in a positive direction with a 70-yard run against the Rams. McFadden could simply be the least valuable.
Kellen Moore
It’s not happening, but it is technically possible.
The Cowboys obviously value Kellen Moore greatly, but to be fair they literally already did cut him once this season. Facts or whatever.
With more roster decisions looming, Rico Gathers will be eligible to come off of IR before we know it, the Cowboys might finally be willing to rip this bandaid off, as unlikely as it seems.
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