Has Randy Gregory Fallen Out Of Favor With Cowboys Coaches?

Has DE Randy Gregory Fallen Out Of Favor With His Dallas Cowboys Coaches?

ARLINGTON - The Dallas Cowboys front office, especially owner Jerry Jones, talks often in flattering ways about the "brains'' and "bend'' of Randy Gregory, back in the NFL in 2020 after two years worth of suspensions.

But does the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff share Jerry's enthusiasm for the defensive end?

The true story is in the snap counts in Dallas' Week 11 win at Minnesota ... and in the story behind the story.

In Dallas' 31-28 victory, the defense was on the field for 64 plays. Among defensive linemen ...

*Aldon Smith was the leader with 50 snaps (78 percent).

*Demarcus Lawrence was right there with 49 snaps (77 percent).

*Antwaun Woods was next with 39 snaps (61 percent).

*Next up, Neville Gallimore totaled 38 snaps (59 percent).

*Then came Dorance Armstrong with 37 snaps (58 percent) - and this is a pivotal issue.

*Next, Eli Ankou with 27 snaps (42 percent).

*Then Tyrone Crawford with 20 snaps (31 percent).

*Then Justin Hamilton with 17 snaps (27 percent).

*And finally, bringing up the rear, with the fewest snaps and the lowest percentage of any Cowboys D-lineman who participated, Randy Gregory, with a paltry 16 snaps (25 percent).

That's right: Ankou just got here via trade. Gallimore is a rookie. Hamilton is a scrap-heap former undrafted free agent. And then there is Armstrong, the 2018 fourth-round pick who, for one day, anyway, essentially took away Gregory's snaps.

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So ... what is happening here?

The Cowboys will say that Gregory's lack of participation is due to him having been ill late last week. There might be only a little truth to that. What the Cowboys will not say publicly is that this defensive coaching staff sees something in Armstrong that had him ascending going into the Minnesota game ... and now has our eyes focused on him as 3-7 Dallas readies for the 3:30 p.m. Thanksgiving visit from 3-7 Washington.

What is quite likely true is that Gregory is displeased with what fairly can be labeled a "demotion'' - but that he responded productively against the Vikings with an impressive three QB pressures in his limited snaps.

Performance is Randy Gregory's best way to persuade the Cowboys coaching staff to see this whole thing the way Gregory advocate Jerry Jones sees it. But there is at the very least a competition going on now between Armstrong and Gregory and others ... with Gregory's having fallen out of favor with his coaches a pivotal reason why.