Randy Gregory suspended indefinitely: What do the Cowboys do now?
Randy Gregory has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL after violating the Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse and the terms of his conditioning reinstatement.
Randy Gregory’s time in the NFL could be coming to an end after his fourth suspension for drug use, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.
After breaking out last season with six sacks and 28 quarterback pressures, which ranked second on the Dallas Cowboys, Gregory’s NFL future is in jeopardy.
The former Nebraska standout was taken in the second round by the Cowboys who gambled on the talent of the player overriding the character concerns that saw him drop in the 2015 draft.
Gregory, much like Josh Gordon, has seen his career stunted, stalled and now put on hold due to drug use. From a personal standpoint, it’s imperative for Gregory to once again take control of his life, his actions and take accountability for his actions and find a way that allows him to live a healthy life, and if that will allow him to be reinstated to the NFL.
For the Cowboys, they lose an edge rusher opposite Demarcus Lawrence who could get to the quarterback while the protection was focused on the Pro Bowler Lawrence. This could also complicate the already complicated contract negotiations with Lawrence who is an unrestricted free agent after 24.5 sacks the last two seasons.
Lawrence is arguably the top free agent on the market and could be given the franchise tag if the two sides aren’t able to come to an agreement on a long-term contract. The Cowboys also want to give Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott new deals so the Dallas front office will be busy in the coming weeks leading up to the April 25 draft.
The Cowboys are without a first round pick as a result of the Amari Cooper trade, but with their second round pick, they may need to consider a pass rusher in the wake of Gregory’s suspension.
This year’s draft is flush with edge rushers so they could find great value and a great talent on Day 2 who could be plugged into Gregory’s spot on the depth chart and compete for a starting job for one of the top teams in the NFC.