Getty Las Vegas Raiders DE David Irving.
After over two years off, it’s clear that David Irving is itching to get back on the field. He just recently signed with the Las Vegas Raiders after serving a prolonged suspension but it’s taking some time for him to get back into game shape. If he returns to the form that he was at in 2018, the team could be getting a big boost.
It seems like it may still take some time for him to see the field but it’s clear that he’s wanting to play. The thought is that he’ll make his Raiders debut in Week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he’d like to get on the field this week. Commenting on a post on Instagram by Raiders.Worldwide, Irving was hoping to play against “the horse team,” which is obviously the Denver Broncos.
InstagramDavid Irving’s Instagram comment.
Making fun of the Broncos is a very easy way for Irving to start getting in the good graces of Raiders fans. Unfortunately, it looks like he’ll have to wait to play against the Raiders’ other archrival.
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Can Irving Help Boost the Pass Rush?
Irving is a very interesting player to keep an eye on. He appeared to be really coming into his own before he got suspended. He put up eight sacks over his last 10 games in Dallas. That was a while ago so it’s really hard to know where he’s at right now.
The Raiders are absolutely desperate for somebody to get after the quarterback who isn’t Maxx Crosby. Even if Irving’s production was cut in half, he’d still be one of the more effective pass rushers on the Raiders. The fact that he’s been out for so long is concerning and it’s hard to know what kind of shape he is in. Las Vegas liked him enough to give him a shot but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be able to return to form. His familiarity with Rod Marinelli should help him come along quickly. However, all the other Marinelli guys the Raiders brought in during the offseason haven’t panned out. Irving will hope to buck that trend.
Devontae Booker Looking Forward to Playing Old Team
Every player on the Raiders has a lot of motivation to come in and dominate the Broncos. The team probably hasn’t forgotten Drew Lock’s cute little dancing moment towards the end of their Week 17 matchup last season. However, running back Devontae Booker probably has the most motivation to have a big game. He was in Denver for four years and put together a strong rookie year with the team. After that season, he saw his role diminish quite a bit.
Booker is keeping his cards close to the vest but he did admit that there is a little extra motivation.
“Of course everybody, when they play their ex-team, they want revenge and all this extra stuff, but just for me, it’s just another game and I just got to go out and execute and come out with a win,” Booker said Thursday.
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New Raiders DE Trolls Broncos Ahead of Matchup