Cowboys Randy Gregory will petition for reinstatement in hopes of being at training camp

According to David Moore from Dallas Morning News, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory will petition to the NFL for reinstatement in the next week. The team is hoping he will be cleared to take part in training camp on July 25th when the team travels out to Oxnard.

A year ago this time, Gregory was conditionally reinstated and was allowed to play last season. He played in 14 games last year, missing a game early in the year with a concussion, and then one in the middle of the year after having his knee scoped. Gregory finished the year with six sacks, 15 quarterback hits, seven tackles for a loss, and was responsible for the quarterback/sack fumble that resulted in the team’s only defensive score of the season. Prior to last season, Gregory only played in two games over the course of the previous two seasons after violating the league’s drug policy.

While it’s unclear what exactly Gregory has violated, the team feels optimistic about his chances going forward. In April, they tacked on another year to his contract that will keep him under contract for the next two seasons at a super cheap cap hit. Sources say he hasn’t failed or missed a test throughout his latest suspension, and they wouldn’t be applying for reinstatement if he hadn’t been complying with the requirements of his drug program. Head coach Jason Garrett didn’t get into specifics, but he told reporters that Gregory has put a lot of work to get himself right.

“Without going into the details of all the things that he’s done to try to get to a point where he can play for us, it’s been a very serious approach as an organization and his approach has been serious,’’ Garrett said. “He’s been able to make strides. He’s been able to come back and play for us and be a very productive player and a productive guy in our locker room.

”Unfortunately, my understating of all this is that sometimes relapse is a part of rehab. And so we’re working through the process of the suspension right now with the NFL.

”But Randy Gregory is working very hard to try to get back and get the situation under control, and we’re doing everything that we can under the rules to help him do that.’’

What that means exactly is unclear as the team is expecting the worst, but hoping for the best. They made a trade to acquire Robert Quinn from the Miami Dolphins that will bring a 2019 cost of $8 million, so the Cowboys already have another plan in place for right defensive end. It would still be nice to have Gregory in the rotation and to provide some depth along the defensive line.

While the team remains hopeful, there is no guarantee that commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate him. Gregory may still receive a suspension for a set amount of games, but Goodell may choose to allow him to take part in training camp and preseason action. Only time will tell what the future holds for Gregory, but at least we know now that things are set to be in motion for a possible reinstatement. Fingers crossed.