4 potential free agent replacements for Cowboys DE Randy Gregory

1. Justin Houston, Baltimore Ravens

Justin Houston has been in the NFL for ten years and continues to prove himself as a force on many defenses. He spent most of his career with Kansas City earning four Pro Bowl selections in a row from 2012 to 2015.

This year, he played with the Ravens. In 15 games, he had one forced fumble, 4.5 sacks, 34 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 17 QB hits. He ended the season with a 77.9 PFF grade. Those are great numbers for a 32-year-old, and numbers don’t always prove how much of an impact any player made.

PFF predicts that the veteran will sign a one-year deal for about $7 million. Houston has also shown versatility lining up at both defensive end and outside linebacker. It’s likely Dallas would get roughly the same production out of the Raven that they would out of Gregory.

Despite his age, Houston has been able to remain healthy throughout his career. He missed his first game since 2018 this year when he had to sit out for COVID-19 protocols. Although he isn’t the player he was at his young age, the Raven has proven that he is still an incredibly capable and well-rounded edge rusher who can bring experience to any roster.

Of course, there is no telling whether the Cowboys decide to prioritize Gregory or not despite his high price tag. But the Joneses really need to start looking ahead at both the draft and free-agent market to see how they can make moves to keep the Dallas roster as high-level contenders.