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The Dallas Cowboys will have to get their roster down to the league-mandated 53-man roster by 4:00pm ET on Saturday afternoon. You can track all of the cuts that they are making right here.
There are obviously going to be a lot of difficult decisions for the team to make because they have a lot of talented players. One of the more interesting spots on this roster is at defensive end and that was without Randy Gregory in the fold.
Gregory has been suspended by the NFL and hasn’t played since the Cowboys lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 Divisional Round. There has been a question as to whether or not he would ultimately be reinstated, but that answer finally came on Friday.
Randy Gregory has been reinstated by the NFL
In a surprising move the Dallas Cowboys also signed Aldon Smith this offseason and saw him successfully be reinstated and emerge as one of training camp’s top storylines. People have wondered if Randy Gregory would be afforded the same opportunity to return, and in the most classic five o’clock news dump on a holiday weekend, the NFL gave their answer.
Randy Gregory is back.
Cowboys DE Randy Gregory has been reinstated per source.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 4, 2020
#Cowboys DE Randy Gregory may report to the team Monday, but he won't be allowed to practice until Oct. 5 or play until after the team's Week 6 game, per @SlaterNFL and me.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 4, 2020
Cowboys will receive a roster exemption for DE Randy Gregory, so he won't count as active on the 53-man roster the team must file on Saturday. He won't be available for start of season while acclimating into mix. But what a midseason addition for Dallas.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 4, 2020
Official word from the NFL on #Cowboys DE Randy Gregory’s conditional reinstatement, beginning with an acclimation and period and return to game action no sooner than Oct. 25 at Washington: pic.twitter.com/R4CBFfByAc
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 4, 2020
We obviously do not know the player that Randy Gregory is at the moment, but this has been about more than football. Gregory is looking to better himself and he has had the Cowboys working with him towards that cause from day one.
The defensive end took to social media himself on Friday with a statement.
Today is a day of celebration and thanks. I would like to thank Roger Goodell, Todd Jones and Kevin Manara of the NFL, Jerry and Stephen Jones, Jason Cohen, Will McClay, Todd Williams, and Josh Brent of the Cowboys, Dr. Dina Hijazi, DeMaurice Smith, my agent Peter Schaffer and most importantly my family for sticking by my thru thick and thin and to helping me get to the positive place I am today. It’s go time. I am in a good place and plan to use this second chance to be a great father, player, citizen of Dallas, and teammate. Let’s get this!!! #RG94
Welcome back, Randy.