Tell me, why did the engineers put that crazy looking device in the inlet tube just before the turbo. Before you start yanking stuff out, you first need to understand why it is there. Given the never-ending pressure for automakers to reduce costs and up profits, it isn't there just because. Some believe it is there to straighten out or vortex the air flow while others believe it is there to quite the turbo, no one really knows that I've found.
Pedal lag will not be reduced or changed by removing the inlet baffle (or whatever it is called) or the factory air box. And, the Cummins does not suffer from turbo lag either, just in case you were going to go there.
Pedal lag or dead pedal is designed into the software, for what reason I don't know.
Pedal Commander is one solution but a better solution is the BD throttle booster, it can be installed up and under the dash and an external switch can be dash mounted to control the various sensitivity levels.