Given conditional reinstatement last week, Randy Gregory will now be able to practice with the Cowboys at training camp as he attempts a comeback.
The NFL fully reinstated the embattled defensive end on Monday, Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk reports. He’s cleared to practice and play in games, furthering a comeback he didn’t previously believe was possible.
Dallas also has Gregory signed through the 2020 season. Under normal circumstances, Gregory would be entering a contract year since he was a 2015 draft pick. But due to multiple seasons of contract tolling, the Nebraska alum is signed for three more years.
While it’s uncertain if the former second-round pick can make good on this opportunity, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets the NFL liked Gregory’s plan and green-lit a full-scale return to action. The 25-year-old edge defender, suspended indefinitely due to multiple substance-abuse violations, worked a 9-5 job at times this offseason in Dallas but continued to train heavily for a possible comeback.
Gregory has not played since the 2016 regular-season finale and hasn’t played more than two games in a season since his rookie year. He’ll join a mix of pass rushers headlined by DeMarcus Lawrence but also including longtime Cowboy Tyrone Crawford and 2017 first-rounder Taco Charlton. Gregory, though, has a long way to go to make good on his draft status. He has just one sack in 14 games.
Over/Under set at 7.5 games before he screws up again….