Getty Randy Gregory could be fighting for a spot on the 49ers roster.
When the San Francisco 49ers scooped up Randy Gregory back in October, getting him in a trade from the Broncos after Denver was on the brink of cutting him, it was viewed as a coup for the team that was already shaping up as the best in the NFC. Gregory was a bit of a snakebitten player, but a spot on the 49ers roster seemed like a good fit.
After struggling with injuries for much of his career in Dallas, Gregory had a breakout year in his fifth season and parlayed that into a five-year, $70 million contract in 2022.
Gregory did not quite pan out for the Broncos, though. And while he has not been a bad addition to the 49ers roster of pass rushers, he did not solve the team’s problem when it comes to having a quality pass rusher on the opposite side of star end Nick Bosa. Gregory has played 221 snaps this season for the 49ers, or 33% of the snaps on defense.
And while the 49ers have a truckload of offseason financial decisions to make, Gregory could be an important one—he is, in fact, on the 2024 “roster bubble,” according to the contract experts at Spotrac.
“Randy Gregory was added at the trade deadline to further fortify an already ridiculous 49ers D-Line. San Francisco can free up all $14M of salary next year by moving on,” wrote analyst Mike Ginnitti.
Randy Gregory’s Salary Was a Problem
It was Randy Gregory’s salary that made him unwanted in Denver and mostly unwanted on the trade market. He was unwanted in Denver, too, as coach Sean Payton pulled Gregory from the starting unit in October, replacing him with second-year player Nik Bonitto.
Gregory suffered a knee injury last season, and played only five games. Health has been a major issue for Gregory going back to his Dallas career, when he appeared in 50 out of 81 potential games.
The key question surrounding Randy Gregory is his health. Because he was a very productive edge rusher up through last season. If he’s physically ready to go, the 49ers and Kris Kocurek have an excellent track record of maximizing DL talent:
Said Payton in October, “We just felt like these other guys were playing better,” Payton said. “It happens in this league. Shoot, we want the best players possible. There’s was a combination of things, but yeah, those other guys stepped up and are playing better.”
The same thing happened in San Francisco. The 49ers roster fit in Gregory off the bench easily upon his arrival to the team, but kept on the lookout for a more reliable upgrade. They got it with the trade of Chase Young from Washington at the deadline.
49ers Roster Spot at Stake?
Randy Gregory, then, has been the forgotten 49ers trade acquisition this year. It is doubtful he has a future in San Francisco beyond this season, but his work with the 49ers could ensure he gets to keep pushing his career forward at age 31.
A deep playoff run will go a long way to ensuring that. And if Young gets a mega-contract offer next year that proves too rich for the 49ers, there is a chance that the team will look to keep Gregory on board, though at a lower contract number.
Gregory spoke after the trade about understanding how important the rest of this season would be after what happened in Denver.
“I think I have everything where it needs to be,” he said, per The Athletic. “Mentally, if I’m in order in that aspect, I’m pretty good. My family life is pretty good right now. Kids are happy. I have a newborn, so I’m a little bit worried about that — I want to be at home with him. But I understand what’s at stake. I’m a big boy and I’ve got a job to take care of.”
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49ers $70 Million Acquisition on ‘Roster Bubble’ for 2024: Expert