Randy Gregory will be highly sought-after as 2022 NFL free agency begins, with legal tampering now officially underway, and that means the Dallas Cowboys will have competition for his services in 2022 and beyond. Having applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to tight end Dalton Schultz, Gregory is free to hit the open market, and the Cowboys' distractions regarding the status (and eventual trade) of four-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper, a denied pay reduction request to All-Pro pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and trade talks on starting tackle La'El Collins have slowed their approach to Gregory.
And having now awarded wide receiver Michael Gallup a five-year extension worth $62.5 million and put in a call to perennial All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner after releasing , the club must now shift gears toward Gregory, and quickly, because other teams are allowed to make a run at the 29-year-old and several are set to do just that, with the Denver Broncos being one expected to make him an offer, sources tell CBS Sports.
For now, it makes the Broncos a frontrunner to try and peel the former second-round pick away from Dallas but, as noted, they won't be the only suitor attempting to woo the talented edge rusher.
There is still mutual interest from both the Cowboys and Gregory in seeing a deal done, sources say, but there is also no traction as of yet as legal tampering gets underway. That could change quickly, however, and the fact the team and Gregory are on the same page in wanting to get a deal done bodes well for Dallas' chances. That said, it's also true that failing to reach an agreement with him prior to now adds to their perceived level of difficulty.
Having been allowed by the NFL to return to the field and thrive due to the reconstructed CBA, Gregory was available for 10 games in 2020, held off of the field for an additional six games to begin that season by the league's front office, and was then relegated to backup duty under one-and-done defensive line coach Jim Tomsula and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan -- two firings made by owner Jerry Jones with Gregory's playing time in mind.
Unleashed in 2022 under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who has now committed to remaining with the Cowboys "for years to come," Gregory battled injury but thrived when on the field, tying his career-high sack tally (6) in a career-best 11 starts.
With Quinn at defensive coordinator and Gregory in the best mental space of his career, the latter also often led the Cowboys in QB pressures, an indication he wasn't far from potentially delivering a double-digit sack season, if not additionally for the extended absence of All-Pro DeMarcus Lawrence to complement his potency -- allowing opposing teams to throw more bodies at him. It's fair to say that, despite being 29, Gregory is just truly getting started with his NFL career, and given how much the Cowboys invested in his growth, along with how much he loves Jones and the locker room, it makes perfect sense both sides would want to remain married for the long run.
But having already siphoned away a No. 94 from the Cowboys in yesteryear (i.e., DeMarcus Ware, who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Broncos), the front office in the Mile High city feel they can do it again. That is, of course, only if the Cowboys let them.
