DALLAS, Texas – All eyes were on No. 94 during the first quarter, as he made his first appearance back on the field since the week 17 game against the Eagles in 2016. The NFL recently reinstated him after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He has struggled with consumption of drugs and has failed many tests, but last night displayed the reason the Dallas Cowboys have not given up on DE Randy Gregory.
The Bengals could not capitalize on third downs on their first two drives of the game, largely due to Gregory’s pressure on quarterback Andy Dalton. He was explosive off the snap at the line of scrimmage against the run and pass. He did not stop working until the whistle announced the play to be dead. He missed all of the 2017 season and OTA’s during the off-season, and the relentless energy built up during his absence was released on the field.
In his address to the media after he was reinstated he remarked “ just having the ability to bounce back after you have been down a couple of times and then being able to maintain that consistency and sticking with it. Developing a game plan and trying to take care of that day-to-day has been the biggest thing for me. “
Gregory currently sits fourth in the depth chart behind DeMarcus Lawrence, Kony Ealy, and Dorance Armstrong. He has a lot of catching up to do, but he shows promise on the edge in his raw talent and incredible athleticism. He makes a difference in the defensive line when he is actually on the field, and his teammates love his spirit and enthusiasm for the game of football. With two more preseason games left before the final 53-man roster is announced, time utilization and experience on the field are of the essence for Gregory.
