The Dallas Cowboys uncharacteristically made several offseason trades this year and it has yet to be seen how or if these players can be impactful in 2018. One such trade was met with quite a bit of skepticism and actually angered a lot of Cowboys fans. Sending wide receiver Ryan Switzer to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for Jihad Ward was somewhat puzzling, but it looks as if the trade might already be paying off.
Unfortunately, one of the Dallas Cowboys best defensive players will once again have to sit out of the first four games of the 2018 season while serving his suspension for violating the substance abuse policy. David Irving was expected to pick up where he left off last season as one of the best defensive tackles in the league, but will have to wait until Week 5 to find out what he can do.
I don’t know if the Dallas Cowboys suspected something like this would happen with Irving once again, but suddenly the trade for Jihad Ward is looking like a brilliant under the radar offseason move.
I know a lot of Cowboys fans were excited to see what Ryan Switzer could do for the offense this season, but the coaching staff never really had a plan in place for him or knew exactly how to use him. There is no question as to how the coaching staff will use Ward. He could end up being one of the better defensive lineman this season.
Jihad Ward has already caught the attention of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff in organized team activities (OTA’s) and mandatory minicamp. Coincidentally, he’s been playing in place of David Irving at the under tackle position or the three-technique. It’s a role he may not relinquish heading into the 2018 season, and quite possibly even when Irving returns from his suspension.
I know it’s a little bit early to anoint Jihad Ward, but the fact that as a new addition he’s already starting ahead of the likes of Tyrone Crawford and other 3-tech candidates is pretty telling, at least for me.
Once training camp opens up there will be several things I will be paying close attention to, and how Jihad Ward performs will be one of them. He was after all highly thought of by defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli a few years ago in the 2016 NFL Draft. Maybe that infatuation will pay off.
I know it still stings a little that Ryan Switzer is no longer with the Cowboys, but Jihad Ward could prove to be the more impactful player this season and beyond.
Mr. Jihad Ward , Very Good Pick Up For Our Defensive Unit …… # Good Job # Keep It Up We Need More ……..
No. Could’ve drafted a better talent. Also giving up Switzer and then trading for a greasy fingered version of him was stupid. Kid had potential to be obe of the leagues best returners. Brutal trades! Of course mgmt says he’s standing out. They now cowboys nation is furious about the trades. That’s why they keep hyping about Austin too.
With both the coaching interviews & D. Irving own, ” I can’t speak on that at this time ” comments,
It’s certain that all sides knew if his missing in-place criteria for the leagues substance abuse policies he’d missed
&
Chances are it was she to his daughters custody issues/court appearances, etc
Which are understandable if so, but not to excuse him violating the very core if his own welfare that will & have affected his daughters mite too already
I feel they got ahead this go round
&
By the way,,,, ,
How soon we forget that Ryan Switzer fumbled away the LA Rams game,
Bobbled several other handles returning kickoffs/punts, etc
Heck, he just may be just as concerning as Austin
But make no bones about it, Austin has produced far more as to where there’s no guessing about his NFL ability
Plus we have other receivers that are also very capable return men also
So far, so good
I’m not forgetting at all that switzer had one fumble all season. It’s perfectly natural for a rookie returner to go through some rough patches. He eventually learned to be a little less aggressive and call for a fair catch when warranted. His return avg was impressive. Austin fumbled 3 tines last year and he is a veteran. As for Irving. Of course they knew he missed these tests. All I’m saying is they gave up a promising return man for one with a consistent fumbling problem and a draft pick for a player that was a bust. We could’ve drafted a DT. The draft was loaded with good ones. Instead we gave up a pick for another teams trash. In fact we got two other teams garbage here. Perhaps marinelli can make something of this young man but then again this is probably coach’s last season so he’d better work fast.
Listen first off,
I was not only surprised by the trade, I was pissed
I loved the Lil Guys flip at the end if the TD punt return against the much hated Redskins
& saved videos of his backward no hands flip & catch with both, then one handed catch display
& I never said he fumbled away more than one, I said he also bobbled catches on punt returns
(the same apparent potential as Austin)
I also only said be MAY, (not that he did), end up having the exact same having issues as Austin has had
However
Ryan also never put up single-game 600 yards receiving, punt return & rushing in college nor has established himself yet as a pro either
Plus, the main point was to the fact if Dallas having more depth at receiver than defensive interior line & me feeling Dallas having a strong sense of foreknowledge that a probable suspension loomed for Irvin leading to the most unfortunate trade
This also includes the fact that Dallas’s receivers also double as return specialists too
No Ryan Switzer’s but very capable
Finally, coach Marinelli is most dynamic at excelling high round draft picks & greatly elevating mid to lower/undrafted cast offs
I just agree with the trade via hindsight
But still degree losing Switzer
Crawford has lost weight to play rde, he’s not going back to 3tech unless it’s on passing downs. Switzer had no chance to make this team with all the WR talent they brought in. Great move by front office, but they probably knew not to trust Irving
I love it when I comment prior to reading others comments
Proves to myself that great minds think alike
I need now not say that
I agree
This was a brilliant move. Marinelli is the man for a guy like Ward and it was the best move the Cowboys could have made. The only other options were to trade up above TB and grab Vea which I would have loved but then we lose Williams and probably Gallup and the fortuitous draft to land both those guys as well as LVE and the other would have been taking Bryan at 19 still leaving a hole at LB. When Irving’s ex tweeted “wait till they hear about your failed drug test” i knew as well as any he wasn’t gonna be here for the start of the season, especially after he wasn’t here for mini-camp. You don’t just make something like that up and those tests are done months before they announce the suspension so it wasn’t odd he wasn’t suspended yet, in fact I’m actually expecting this to get worse because I think he failed 2 of them. Irving is a game wrecker but Collins is 1 season removed from a monster rookie season and Ward is a very talented player who could have just needed the right system and a coach to bring it out of him. We will see but like you said this trade is starting to look like a brilliant season saving move. Did you say something about Earl Thomas?
I don’t see this as a trade for Ward for Switzer. It’s was that they saw a need for Irving and his possible suspension. I did not like it then and still hate it now. The Raiders wanted Ryan Switzer because of their new special teams coach, formally the Dallas Cowboys special teams coach. Rich Bisaccia wanted Switzer, Dallas should have asked for more than they got. Also in a few years will regret trading him away.