Randy Gregory Puts Cowboys, Jerry Jones on Blast for ‘Bad Faith’ Negotiations

A former Dallas Cowboys player is calling out Jerry Jones and the franchise.

Just days after backing out of an agreed deal with the Cowboys and then signing with the Denver Broncos, Randy Gregory is firing back.

The 29-year-old pass-rushing specialist took to Twitter to explain why he backed out of a deal with Dallas while responding to a fan. Gregory goes so far as to say that Jones acted in “bad faith” during the free agency process.

“Your bills were going to get paid with the contract the Cowboys gave you,” said Twitter user Jai Blevins. “It was the same contract, with 1 Xtra rule for you to follow. You just didn’t want to be held accountable. Same problem that has caused you to be suspended so much.”

“Nope, your owners acted in bad faith all free agency,” said Gregory. “They’ve been awfully quiet lately huh? Wonder why lol. Can’t wait for you guys to ask them the same questions!”

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Why Gregory Backed Out of Cowboys Deal

On Tuesday, March 15, Gregory agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal with the Cowboys — the same contract he ended up agreeing to with the Broncos not too long after.

The chain of events occurred after the Cowboys had announced on their social media accounts that they were re-signing Gregory.

However, there was one major difference in the contract language. The Cowboys’ contract would void if Gregory was fined/suspended for any drug offense or violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The veteran has a history of drug-related offenses, having been suspended for 52 of a possible 96 games during his career.

However, the Cowboys argued that the language in the contract is in place for every one of their players, with the exception of franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.

Via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold:

“The clause Gregory objected to — voiding his contract if fined/suspended for any drug offense or violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy — was not included in his previous Cowboys contract and also wasn’t mentioned in Monday’s contract talks, which lasted until midnight, a source told Werder,” says Legwold. “When questioned about the clause, the Cowboys said that it is included in every Dallas player contract but Dak Prescott’s, the source told Werder.”

While Gregory has been suspended for the majority of his NFL career due to suspension, he has shown his potential when on the field. The veteran was one of the Cowboys’ most consistent pass rushers during the 2021 season, posting six sacks.

According to Pro Football Focus, Gregory’s 84.7 pass-rushing grade ranked 12th among all edge rushers in the league in 2021.

Despite having spent his entire career with the Cowboys, it looks like Gregory and Dallas are not on the best of terms following this contract snafu.

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Cowboys Sign Dante Fowler to Replace Gregory

The Cowboys have found their replacement for Gregory.

On Friday, March 18, Dallas agreed to a one-year contract with former No. 3 draft pick Dante Fowler. Fowler had spent the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Via Nick Eastman of Cowboys.com:

“Ironically enough, after the Cowboys could not retain Gregory just a few days ago in free agency, they’ve now turned to Fowler, who has agreed to terms on a 1-year deal with the Cowboys on Friday,” says Eastman. “The contract is reportedly worth about $5 million for the 2022 season.”

Fowler has been inconsistent in his career, notching just 7.5 sacks total over the past two seasons with the Falcons. However, he has previously shown off his potential, posting 11.5 sacks during the 2019 season with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cowboys will hope Fowler can replicate the pass-rushing prowess that Gregory showed off during the 2021 season.

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