Teams don’t typically release contributing veterans a quarter of the way through a season, but that’s exactly what the Denver Broncos did on Wednesday. The Broncos are cutting pass rusher Randy Gregory, who signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the club during the 2022 offseason, as Pro Football Talk first reported.
Why did Denver decide to part ways with Gregory heading into Week 5? And where are his best landing spots around the NFL now that he’s on the open market?
UPDATE, Oct. 6 (4 p.m. ET): The Broncos found a taker for Gregory after all. On Friday, Denver traded Gregory and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2024 sixth-round choice.
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Broncos Release Randy Gregory
Gregory’s deal with the Broncos can’t be considered anything other than a disaster. The former second-round pick had always flashed for the Dallas Cowboys, but he missed ample time due to injuries and off-field issues.
Gregory nearly re-signed with the Cowboys last spring, but Dallas wanted to insert language into his contract that would have allowed the club to recoup bonus money were Gregory suspended and/or fined.
Instead, Gregory opted to sign with Denver, who ultimately paid him $28 million for 10 games, 341 defensive snaps, and three sacks.
A knee injury sidelined Gregory for 11 games during his Broncos debut campaign. This year, he started the first three games of the season before ceding his starting to Nik Bonitto in Week 4.
NFL Network reported that Denver had been trying to trade Gregory all week. Given that his $14 million base salary is fully guaranteed for this season, it’s hardly surprising the Broncos could not find a taker.
The #Broncos had been trying to trade Gregory this week. A fresh start good for everyone involved. https://t.co/ljCbSfj0iN
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 4, 2023
Gregory will leave nearly $13 million in dead money on Denver’s salary cap this year and $6.3 million in 2024. Assuming the Broncos included offset language in his contract, they could get a financial credit if and when Gregory signs elsewhere.
Gregory ranks just 74th among edge rushers in pressures and 108th in pass-rush win rate, so he hasn’t exactly been a world-beater this season. But plenty of teams need pass-rushing help. Where are Gregory’s top landing spots?
Randy Gregory Landing Spots
Dallas Cowboys
Gregory wasn’t pleased with the Cowboys negotiating tactics in 2022. His agents felt Dallas tried to insert forfeiture language at the “11th hour,” and Gregory infamously said, “F— them” after hearing about the Cowboys’ revised offer.
Still, Gregory was reportedly willing to return to Dallas had the Cowboys been willing to match the Broncos’ proposal. Dallas doesn’t really need any more help on the edge (or anywhere on defense, for that matter), but they could be interested in a reunion with Gregory, assuming tensions have thawed.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have the NFL’s sixth-lowest pressure rate (19.6%) through four weeks. Odafe Oweh has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. David Ojabo might miss the rest of the season. Jadeveon Clowney leads Baltimore with 19 pressures, but no other defender has more than 10.
MORE: Remaining 2023 NFL Free Agents by Position
Gregory could help supplement the Ravens’ pass rush. Baltimore recently signed veteran Kyle Van Noy, while Tyus Bowser could return from the non-football injury list this week. But Gregory would give the club another dimension on the edge.
Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack put up a dominant performance against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, posting six sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup. But the Chargers could still use more depth, especially given that they haven’t been much better than the Ravens in pressure rate (20.6%).
Joey Bosa (toe/hamstring) couldn’t play in Week 4 and missed 12 games last season. Second-round rookie Tuli Tuipulotu has flashed (nine pressures in Week 3), but Los Angeles needs a rotation of players they can trust to get after opposing passers.
New England Patriots
Gregory may prefer to join an obvious contender, which the 1-3 Patriots are not. But New England does have an apparent pass-rushing need now that Matthew Judon will miss at least two months after undergoing surgery for a biceps injury on Wednesday.
