GRAPEVINE, Texas – If there is an update to be had on the status of Randy Gregory, Cowboys officials are waiting to hear it, just like everyone else.
The full Cowboys organization, from the front office to coach Jason Garrett to the vast majority of the roster, was on hand at the Cowboys Golf Club for the team's 29th annual sponsorship tournament.
With the draft in the rearview mirror and OTAs still a few weeks away, the focus shifted to outliers – namely, Gregory, who is still preparing his application for reinstatement to the NFL.
"I have been proud of Randy during this offseason," said Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones. "I'm very aware of how hard he's working to get back in the league and get back on the field."
Gregory is working hard, by all accounts, but there's not much in the way of information beyond that. The former second-round pick has been suspended since January of 2017, which was his third such suspension since he was drafted in 2015.
As a result, he hasn't been allowed to come to the team facility or have contact with club officials in more than a year.
"We've always said first and foremost that we're more concerned with Randy fixing himself off the field," added Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones. "I applaud him. I think he's worked hard to this point that he can apply for reinstatement. I still think it's first and foremost he take care of himself off the field."
Off-field issues are part of why Gregory fell to pick No. 60 back during that 2015 NFL Draft in the first place, given that he failed a drug test during the NFL Combine. If he is reinstated by the league, though, he could bring top-tier talent to a Dallas pass rush that has already been heavily invested in.
"There's no doubt what we think about his skill as a pass rusher on the field. But by no stretch are we saying we're going to bank on that," Stephen Jones said. "We're still thinking about him and hoping he gets everything done the right way off the field and good things will happen for him. If that happens, we all know what kind of player he can be."
Jerry Jones declined to elaborate on the matter, but Gregory has reportedly received plenty of help from around the organization and the league in the form of letters of recommendation and votes of confidence.Â
"I do know that Randy enjoys a lot of support -- both on the field and off the field," Jerry Jones said. "He's a good guy."
At this point, it'd be a mistake to think the Cowboys are counting on Gregory in their on-field plans for 2018. Jerry Jones said he doesn't know the time frame on Gregory's application – let alone the league's decision about it.
But, with training camp slowly coming into view, there does seem to be cause for optimism about the work Gregory is doing to this point.
"I do know that he's being very diligent in preparing his information and preparing his application or presentation or preparing his situation," Jones said.
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