Dallas Cowboys Randy Gregory: ‘My best years are to come’
The upcoming training camp will be pivotal for Dallas Cowboys‘ defensive end Randy Gregory. In Gregory’s four-year career, he has only played in 38 games for America’s Team. This is mainly due to his constant battle with the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Gregory’s been suspended on four separate occasions for failing to comply with the league’s former rules.
Last March, the NFL and the NFLPA agreed on a new CBA which changed their substance abuse policy and no longer suspends players if they test positive for marijuana. The league changing its policies coincided with changes that are happening across America, with the legalization of marijuana already happening in many states.
Gregory was reinstated at the midseason last year and was getting back to playing football. In the ten games he played last season, the defensive end had three forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and an impressive 12 quarterback hits. If half of those hits turned into “would-be” sacks, then Gregory would have had a near 10.0 sack season. Not too bad for a player who has a lot of rust not playing for over a year.
Entering the 2021 season, Gregory has the starting defensive end spot opposite defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. He’s also in the final year of his contract.
In the past, former Cowboys have been able to play at their best when the pressure is on for a new contract. Former cornerback Byron Jones and former running back DeMarco Murray are both prime examples. The hope is that Gregory will be the next player to follow suit.
When speaking to the media back in June, Gregory said this according to Pro Football Talk …
"“I have made a lot of mistakes. But I think I have earned what I have gotten whether it’s bad or good, and I am going to continue to do that. My best years are to come. They are ahead of me. Very excited for the future.”"
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Sometimes, a little change is all someone needs to bring out success. If Randy Gregory can take advantage of the NFL’s new policy and live up to the expectations that were given to him with No. 94, then the Dallas Cowboys will finally have two dominant pass rushers on both sides of the defense. Heading into training camp to prepare for the new season, Gregory clearly has something to prove.