After a lengthy absence, Randy Gregory’s return to the field may be delayed once more after suffering a substance-related relapse.
Jean-Jacques Taylor first reported that a scheduled meeting was taking place between Gregory and the league doctor to determine his chances of starting with the Cowboys or being suspended again after relapsing last month. The report goes on to say that the NFL could issue a ruling as early as this week according to ESPN.
The news comes as the NFL has been softening their approach on drug-related offenses.
According to league sources, there have been examples this offseason of a player having a disputed test, with the league emphasizing treatment and support rather than discipline, which was one of the NFL Players Association’s goals when the policy was reconfigured in 2014.
Gregory has missed 30 of the past 32 regular-season games, including the entire 2017 season, for multiple violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. He was reinstated by the league in July after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell.
