Randy Gregory - Pro Football Rumors

Randy Gregory Suspended Until Week 16

September 29th, 2016 at 3:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Randy Gregory has officially been hit with a ten-game suspension. The league announced that Gregory will not be eligible to return until Week 16 after having a ten-game ban tacked on to his existing punishment.

Of course, it’s not a given that Gregory will be in shape to return for the end of the season. At this point, Gregory has been off the field for some time and his substance issues cannot bode well for his overall conditioning. However, those close to the defensive end say that he has been clean for four months and is doing well.

As a rookie, Gregory was in uniform 12 contests and missed a good chunk of games due to an ankle injury. In total, he had 11 sacks. In the long run, the Cowboys are hoping that Gregory can fulfill his vast potential, but he’ll have to get his life together if he hopes to make that a reality.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Bryant, Cowboys, Gregory, Brady

September 29th, 2016 at 9:04am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at news from the AFC and NFC East:

Dez Bryant didn’t get an MRI on his knee until Wednesday because he was absent from Monday’s treatment for injured players and Tuesday’s meetings with the Cowboys, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The reason for Bryant’s two-day absence is not immediately clear. The wide receiver has not been formally ruled out of Sunday’s game against San Francisco, but the hairline fracture on his knee could sideline him for up to three weeks.
Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory is out of rehab in Massachusetts, but he’s still receiving and will continue to receive regular treatment in Dallas, according to a league source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, those who know the defensive end say he has been clean for over four months and is doing as well as he has in recent memory. Gregory, they say, has been getting his personal life together and is working hard to get back towards football shape.
The Patriots have to drop two players from the roster in order to make room for Tom Brady and Rob Ninkovich, and Doug Kyed of NESN.com suggests a handful of candidates. Linebacker Elandon Roberts and tight end A.J. Derby are candidates to be waived and put on the practice squad. Kyed also suggests that New England can get creative by placing quarterback Jacoby Brissett and/or cornerback Eric Rowe on injured reserve even though their conditions are far from season-enders. An added benefit to putting Rowe on IR is that the Pats would decrease their chances of having to give up a third-round pick to Philadelphia instead of a fourth-rounder.

Randy Gregory Drops Suspension Appeal

September 19th, 2016 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory withdrew the appeal of his 10-game suspension for multiple violations of NFL’s Substance Abuse policy, sources tell Adam Schefter and Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gregory, who is in the midst of a separate four-game ban, will be suspended through Week 14. Gregory will be eligible to return in Week 15.

Gregory, 24 in November, exited rehab last week. While he can return to the Cowboys this season, it’s not a given that he will take the field if he is not in football shape. Over the next month or two, we should get a better idea of where Gregory stands.

Gregory dealt with an ankle sprain early in his rookie season and we didn’t see a ton of action from him in 2015. From a talent perspective, Gregory was considered to be one of the draft’s best talents. However, his off-the-field issues caused him to sink all the way to No. 60, where Dallas grabbed him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys’ Randy Gregory Exits Rehab

September 12th, 2016 at 6:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory is now out of rehab and has been removed from the club’s reserve/did not report list, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links). However, Gregory still has three more games left on his original four-game suspension, and is still facing a 10-game ban that will enter the appeals process at some point in the future, according to Yates.

Gregory, 24 in November, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide.

“It’s disappointing, but at the same time, sometimes these things don’t get fixed overnight,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said in February of Gregory’s four-game suspension. “Anybody who has ever been involved in this type of situation knows that sometimes it takes time. We’re there, but he’s going to have to buckle down, which he is. He’s working hard at it, but he’s got to get over the hump here.

You have to be concerned. That’s the risk you get when you go there. It’s all about that risk-reward deal, but at the end of the day, we got the infrastructure in place to continue to help him. We think he’s utilizing it, but at the same time, it’s disappointing that we had this go far enough that it resulted in a suspension.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Randy Gregory Has Suspension Reduced?

September 4th, 2016 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

11:34am: Tom Pelissero of USA Today provides some explanation for the confusion, tweeting that Gregory appeared on yesterday’s wire as being suspended for only four games because the 10-game suspension remains under appeal and the four-game ban is official. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that explanation via Twitter. There is still no word on the outcome of Gregory’s appeal of the 10-game suspension.

10:32am: Not so fast, says David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. Moore tweets that, although Gregory will be back around the team in Week 2, no final decision has been made on whether his 10-game suspension will be reduced.

9:37am: Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory has won his appeal, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram writes. Gregory was originally slated to sit out for 10 games due to an additional violation of the NFL’s substance abuse program. Now, he’ll only be suspended for the first four games of the season.

Gregory can now return to the field for the Cowboys in October, but it’s not a given that he’ll be ready to take the field right away. Gregory is still in a substance abuse facility, Hill hears, and he is not currently in football shape. Still, this opens the door for Gregory to return at some point in 2016 for the Cowboys, perhaps around the middle of the regular season.

Gregory, 24 in November, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide. There are a number of teams today who are glad that they passed on the talented but troubled Gregory.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Gregory, Eagles, Bradham

July 27th, 2016 at 9:36pm CST by Zachary Links

While Cowboys defensive lineman Randy Gregory is in a treatment facility, his representatives are fighting a second suspension – in addition to the four-game ban he is already faced with – that could keep him off the field for the bulk of the 2016 season.

If Gregory’s appeal is unsuccessful, the NFL will have the discretion to suspend him for an additional ten games for total of 14 or the league could add six games to his existing four-game ban, giving him a ten-game suspension in total, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) senses that Gregory’s ban is more likely to be for ten games than 14 since the NFL’s substance abuse policy is geared more towards rehabilitation than punishment.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Eagles coach Doug Pederson doesn’t foresee releasing linebacker Nigel Bradham after his bizarre dustup with a hotel employee, Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Pederson went on to say that he considers him a starting linebacker. Bradham was reportedly part of a six-person group that began arguing with a Hilton Bentley hotel employee over the amount of time it took to receive an umbrella they had apparently purchased. Bradham turned himself into Miami police and was charged with aggravated battery, a second-degree felony.
Pederson acknowledged the Eagles had interest in Anquan Boldin before he was signed by the Lions, Berman tweets. As shown on Roster Resource, the Eagles currently have Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Rueben Randle, Josh Huff, Chris Givens, T.J. Graham, and Hunter Sharp at wide receiver.
Darren McFadden‘s latest elbow scan was encouraging and he is on schedule to be ready for the beginning of the Cowboys‘ regular season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
The Redskins are evaluating their young running backs and outside linebackers first before making any signings, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets.

Cowboys’ Gregory Enters Treatment Facility

July 26th, 2016 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

2:45pm: Gregory’s reps are still working on an appeal of Gregory’s potential 10-game suspension, Werder tweets.

1:30pm: Gregory’s coming suspension will be for at least ten games, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There is concern on the Cowboys’ part that he may not play again.

12:57pm: Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory has entered a treatment facility and is not expected to report to training camp this week, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gregory had another violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy and is now facing a longer suspension than he was originally slated for, sources tell ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Gregory, 24 in November, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide. While Gregory didn’t make any off-field headlines during his first year in Dallas, he apparently failed several drug tests, leading to his initial suspension.

Recently, Cowboys COO spoke about Gregory’s four-game suspension and expressed disappointment. Now, Gregory will be out for even longer:

“It’s disappointing, but at the same time, sometimes these things don’t get fixed overnight. Anybody who has ever been involved in this type of situation knows that sometimes it takes time. We’re there, but he’s going to have to buckle down, which he is. He’s working hard at it, but he’s got to get over the hump here. You have to be concerned. That’s the risk you get when you go there. It’s all about that risk-reward deal, but at the end of the day, we got the infrastructure in place to continue to help him. We think he’s utilizing it, but at the same time, it’s disappointing that we had this go far enough that it resulted in a suspension.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Stephen Jones Talks Gregory, Hardy, FAs

February 23rd, 2016 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Having initially expressed disappointment in Randy Gregory over his four-game suspension, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said today that the team wants to avoid the risk that “four becomes more” for the defensive end. In other words, the Cowboys want to ensure that there are no more failed tests for their 2015 second-round pick, since that would result in an even longer suspension.

With Gregory out for the first four games of the season, targeting pass rushers in free agency and/or the draft will become an even greater priority in Dallas. Jones spoke to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News about that topic, Gregory’s ban, and more. Here are the highlights from the Cowboys’ executive:

On Gregory’s four-game suspension:

“It’s disappointing, but at the same time, sometimes these things don’t get fixed overnight. Anybody who has ever been involved in this type of situation knows that sometimes it takes time. We’re there, but he’s going to have to buckle down, which he is. He’s working hard at it, but he’s got to get over the hump here.

“You have to be concerned. That’s the risk you get when you go there. It’s all about that risk-reward deal, but at the end of the day, we got the infrastructure in place to continue to help him. We think he’s utilizing it, but at the same time, it’s disappointing that we had this go far enough that it resulted in a suspension.”

On the possibility of re-signing Greg Hardy:

“[We are] still not finalized with where we’re going to come down on that.”

On upgrading the pass rush:

“We’ve just got to do everything we can. Obviously we tried hard last year. That will continue to be a focus. At the end of the day, that’s a big part of a successful football team, getting pressure on the passer. We’ve got some good players that can do it. We just need a couple more to go with [Demarcus] Lawrence and [Tyrone] Crawford and those guys.”

On the possibility of the Cowboys pursuing their first real big-money free agent since Brandon Carr:

“You never say never. You never know what player is going to be out there and how we feel about them. Obviously we’ve slowed down our spending in free agency. I think Brandon’s been a solid player, but at the end of the day, I’ve always thought that that’s what you end up doing in free agency, paying solid players like they’re All-Pro players. That’s the negative about the good ones in free agency, you tend to overpay because you’re competing. It’s a tough deal.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: C. Long, Randle, Lions, 49ers

February 22nd, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Of the three veteran players the Rams parted ways with last week, Peter King of TheMMQB.com thinks defensive end Chris Long could be the one the team regrets releasing. According to King, Long – who turns 31 next month – is already being pursued by contending teams. However, it’s not clear yet whether the veteran pass rusher will sign quickly, since he and his wife are expecting their first child in the near future, says King.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

According to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, two Giants sources recently questioned wide receiver Rueben Randle‘s “work ethic and desire to be great.” Raanan estimates there’s only about a 15% chance of Randle re-signing with New York this winter.
“The salary cap is not our enemy. It can be our friend,” Lions president Rod Wood said last week in an appearance on WMGC-FM in Detroit. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press passes along some other Wood quotes from that interview, and examines the state of the Lions’ salary cap as the new league year approaches.
Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones expressed disappointment in defensive end Randy Gregory over his four-game suspension for a substance-abuse violation, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details. However, the Cowboys should also shoulder some of the blame, since they knew what they were getting into when they drafted him and were responsible for helping to avoid repeating his failed combine drug test, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at three key positions of need for the 49ers heading into this week’s draft combine, and considers potential targets for the club’s No. 7 overall pick.

Randy Gregory Suspended Four Games

February 19th, 2016 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Cowboys edge defender Randy Gregory has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Gregory will be eligible to return for Dallas’ fifth regular-season game.

Gregory, 23, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide.

While Gregory didn’t make any off-field headlines during his first year in Dallas, he has apparently failed several drug tests, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport points out that the NFL’s drug policy calls for a two-game fine and then a four-game fine before a player is suspended.

With Gregory set to miss the first quarter of the season and Greg Hardy potentially departing in free agency, the Cowboys figure to be in the market for pass-rushing help this offseason, in free agency and/or the draft.

In addition to Gregory, another defender, Packers defensive tackle Mike Pennel, also received a four-game ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, tweets Jason Wilde of ESPN.com.

Pennel, 24, started five games for the Packers last season, recording 24 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery on the year. Like Gregory, he won’t be eligible to return to action until the fifth game of his club’s regular-season schedule.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.