LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Oakland Raiders helmet is seen on the field after the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Back in October, the Las Vegas Raiders too a flyer on David Irving. He showed a ton of promise on the field during his time with the Dallas Cowboys, but he was suspended multiple times for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Irving was on the Raiders’ main roster for just two games this past season, but apparently Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock saw enough to bring him back for the 2021 season.
On Thursday, the Raiders announced that Irving signed a contract with the team for next season. The exact specifics regarding that deal aren’t available at this time.
We have re-signed free agent DL David Irving.
More » https://t.co/utqD2jlBH6 pic.twitter.com/oLSqXyYNvg
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 18, 2021
The Raiders had plenty of issues on the defensive side of the ball, so retaining a talented defensive player like Irving isn’t a bad idea.
Irving has had plenty of problems off the field. Heck, he threatened to retire in 2018 because of the league’s anti-marijuana stance.
When he’s on the field, however, Irving can be a disruptive player. He had 56 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in 37 games, including 10 starts, with the Cowboys.
Considering he’s just 27 years old, Irving has plenty of time to prove that he learned from his past mistakes and can start at a consistent level.
From the Raiders’ perspective, they’re hoping Irving can replicate the numbers he put up during the 2017 season with the Cowboys.
