Earlier this week, the Denver Broncos reportedly made the surprising decision to waive Randy Gregory.
But as it turns out, while the 30-year-old defensive end/outside linebacker is on the move, he won’t be released after all.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Broncos have reached an agreement to trade Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers. Per Pelissero, Denver never formally released Gregory, despite reports that the team intended to do so in order to focus on its younger players.
In heading to San Francisco, the Nebraska product joins one of the NFL’s best defenses, which includes the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Nick Bosa and other talented pass-rushers including Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead, and Drake Jackson. Gregory enjoyed five productive seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, who selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, before signing a five-year, $70 million contract with the Broncos in 2022.
A knee injury, however, limited his debut season in Denver to just six games, in which he amassed 12 tackles and two sacks. Through the first four games of the 2023 campaign, Gregory had totaled nine tackles and one sack.
After failing to live up to his massive deal with the Broncos, the Jacksonville native will now get a fresh start in San Francisco. As fate would have it, that fresh start could begin against his former team, the Cowboys, who are set to face the 4-0 49ers on Sunday.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.