Randy Gregory First Comments: Spurning Cowboys to Sign With Broncos About Trust

"This is a week I'll never forget,'' Gregory wrote on IG while at dinner at Elway's Steakhouse. "(I) appreciate the Broncos organization for believing in me.''

FRISCO - Randy Gregory has put the Dallas Cowboys behind him, spending Wednesday night in Denver dining with Broncos team officials ... and posting a message of thanks to the Broncos that is also, obviously, meant as a message to the Cowboys as well.

Earlier this week, just moments after the Cowboys announced they had agreed to terms on a new five-year deal with the defensive end, Gregory (and his agent) has a changing of the mind, spurning Dallas to instead agree to a five-year, $70 million deal with Denver.

Randy Gregory, Sophie, Coach Hackett, GM Paton

"This is a week I'll never forget,'' Gregory wrote on IG while at dinner at Elway's Steakhouse. "(I) appreciate the Broncos organization for believing in me.''

"Belief.'' Trust. Gregory feels he got that in Denver's offer ... and not in Dallas'.

Gregory's agent, Peter Schaffer, alleges the Cowboys - who had on the table the same dollars and years in their deal as the Broncos did - inserted language into the proposal that his side found offensive.

The language concerns the possibility of forfeiture of guaranteed money in the event of fines or suspensions by the NFL related to the league's Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse, an area in which Gregory has a history of trouble. He's battled back from his issues and in 2021 recorded six sacks while showing signs of dominance.

But the fact is, Gregory has missed more than 50 games due to suspension and has yet to play a full season. So the clause is in his contract - as it is, as a standard operating procedure in most Cowboys contracts.

Schaffer has insisted he's never in "30 years in this business'' seen such a clause. But in fact, again, it is standard in Dallas deals ... including the last guaranteed-money deal Gregory himself signed with the Cowboys.

D210SPORTS

Nevertheless, a feeling of distrust resulted. Should the Cowboys have deleted or softened the wording? Should Schaffer have either better-understood himself or better-explained to Gregory the wording?

It doesn't matter now. Gregory "trusts'' the Denver Broncos. And he believes they "trust'' him.