Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke with reporters ahead of the 2022 NFL draft and was asked about a former player that bolted from them this offseason.
During his Tuesday press conference, Jones explained why the team failed to re-sign star pass rusher Randy Gregory. He told reporters the market for Gregory “got too high for the team.”
“If you’ve got a big question mark on availability, do you want to strap on millions and millions of dollars,” Jones added. The most interesting thing about his comments is that the Cowboys had reportedly inked Gregory to the exact same deal he landed in Denver.
Gregory saw those comments and fired back at Jones.
The 29-year-old originally agreed to a deal that would keep him in Dallas. However, after the two sides agreed to terms, the Cowboys “doubled back” to make changes that Gregory’s camp didn’t approve.
Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram stated Dallas wanted to add into the contract that protects the team from paying bonuses or guarantees if a player is fined or suspended is standard practice for the organization.
Gregory has been suspended multiple times by the NFL, including missing the entire 2017 and 2019 seasons. One negotiations broke down, Gregory agreed to a deal with the Broncos. The first two seasons of his contract are fully guaranteed.
The Cowboys originally selected Gregory with the No. 60 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
