Archer: Randy Gregory can be best served as understudy

Randy Gregory can be best served as understudy

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys Greg Hardy has yet to decide whether to accept the reduced four-game suspension or fight on through the court system to attempt to reduce it to just two games.

Hardy's decision will impact the salary cap because if he wins a further reduction and misses just two games, then that would earn him an extra $1.2 million in per-game roster bonuses, plus help his chances of earning incentives. But it will also impact Randy Gregory.

When the Cowboys drafted Gregory in the second round in April, Hardy was looking at a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy stemming from an incident involving a former girlfriend. The Cowboys needed a much greater impact from Gregory if Hardy missed 10 of the 16 regular-season games.

Now that his absence is four, Gregory won't be required to play -- and produce - as much.

Taking the pressure off a rookie pass-rusher is a good thing. Rare is the rookie that comes in and puts up strong sack numbers. Von Miller (11.5), Brian Orakpo (11) and Clay Matthews (10) excelled as rookies, but last year only three rookies had more than six sacks last season, led by St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who had nine.

With Hardy, as well as Jeremy Mincey and DeMarcus Lawrence, who will be looking for the first regular-season sack of his career this season, Gregory can work his way into the mix as a luxury of sorts if not a necessity.

That's not the way Gregory is looking at it.

Since being picked, the Cowboys have had him studying similar linear players, like Simeon Rice and Jason Taylor. He already studied players like Osi Umenyiora and Aldon Smith.

But Rod Marinelli's connection to Rice from their days together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes for a natural comparison.

"I knew about (Rice) before but just being around coach Marinelli so much and him showing clips of him, he does remind me of myself," Gregory said. "I try to model my game after him, especially with long arms. I try to watch a lot of film of him with his long-arm (move) because his long arm is as good as anybody."

Rice, 6-5, 268 pounds, was productive in his first five years with the Arizona Cardinals, averaging 10.5 sacks per season but he struggled with consistency. After joining Marinelli in Tampa Bay, he put up five straight double-digit sack seasons, averaging 13.5 per year. It helped that he had Warren Sapp on the interior, but along with Taylor he was one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.

Marinelli hasn't wanted to make things too complicated for Gregory.

"Really, it's just getting off the ball," Gregory said. "He really wants me to get off the ball. That's one of the things they want as D linemen. They want you off the ball and turning the corner to get on that tackle as fast as possible, working our hands. Really just get us one good move, one counter move and working levels coming back underneath."

Gregory had some positive moments in the organized team activities and minicamp against Tyron Smith. Going up against Smith in training camp will be even better practice.

So too will be studying more of Rice's work.

"If you get off the ball, the tackle has got to turn his hips," Gregory said "and then you can give the long arm and you can go back inside."

I don't mind if he doesn't start. Mincey will be find on first and second down, but I want Gregory to come in on the Nickel with Mincey moving inside (until Hardy comes back).

Gregory needs time to learn his craft and bulk up without losing quickness.

I wish he could come in and start like most highly touted draft picks, but I think he needs work-- particularly in developing an NFL body.

I think Gregory is good enough to come in and start at RE immidiately. He is that type of a talent. But the fact is we have really good depth at DE and we will rotate heavily. So starter or not starter he is going to play plenty this year. Additionally it's about the long game with Gregory. This is someone who can be your next decade franchise pass rusher. You can't get too worked up over year one.

ravidubey said:

Gregory needs time to learn his craft and bulk up without losing quickness.

I wish he could come in and start like most highly touted draft picks, but I think he needs work-- particularly in developing an NFL body.

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Lots of guys who fit that description (Bruce Irvin for instance) can come in and contribute situationally. If we get a Bruce Irvin type 8 sack season out of him from the Nickel I'll be happy, even if he doesn't start a game.

Clay_Allison said:

Lots of guys who fit that description (Bruce Irvin for instance) can come in and contribute situationally. If we get a Bruce Irvin type 8 sack season out of him from the Nickel I'll be happy, even if he doesn't start a game.

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First of all I'm not saying Gregory can't succeed, just that the wear and size difference that bugged him in college is going to be much worse in the NFL, so he must get stronger, tougher and bigger. Dallas must limit his snaps and as Crock said picture the long game with Gregory.

BTW, Irvin is kind of a bust as a 1st round pick, so I'm hoping Gregory isn't like Irvin (outside of the 8 rookie sacks). Irvin was bumped from the DL, moved to LB, has been average there, and the Seahawks didn't pick up his option.

I think Gregory may have been a better fit in a 3-4 as an outside LB.

ravidubey said:

First of all I'm not saying Gregory can't succeed, just that the wear and size difference that bugged him in college is going to be much worse in the NFL, so he must get stronger, tougher and bigger. Dallas must limit his snaps and as Crock said picture the long game with Gregory.

BTW, Irvin is kind of a bust as a 1st round pick, so I'm hoping Gregory isn't like Irvin (outside of the 8 rookie sacks). Irvin was bumped from the DL, moved to LB, has been average there, and the Seahawks didn't pick up his option.

I think Gregory may have been a better fit in a 3-4 as an outside LB.

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Gregory is like Jason Taylor when you watch him play. Jason Taylor played many seasons in the 240 lb range but used leverage and strength to overpower his opponents. Randy looks like a very similar player. In college even though he was smaller he still had no problem overpowering guys who were much bigger. People who focus on his weight so much are focusing on the wrong thing.

With all that being said we don't have to rush Gregory onto the field. Even the best pass rushers can take some time to develop. Hell it's not like Ware lit the world on fire as a rookie. He had like 8 sacks as a rookie.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I think Gregory is good enough to come in and start at RE immidiately. He is that type of a talent. But the fact is we have really good depth at DE and we will rotate heavily. So starter or not starter he is going to play plenty this year. Additionally it's about the long game with Gregory. This is someone who can be your next decade franchise pass rusher. You can't get too worked up over year one.

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You also have to keep in mind that Marinelli rotates his DE's inside sometimes as well, and Gregory has put on like 15-20 lbs since OTA's began to prepare the possibility. Hardy will definitely rotate inside, so having extra DE depth is even more beneficial.

I think Hardy would dominate as a 3-technique in Marinelli's system.

ravidubey said:

I think Hardy would dominate as a 3-technique in Marinelli's system.

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Yep.

Knowing how this staff does things, I see Mincey and Lawrence opening the season as starters, Gregory comes off the bench.

That is not really a bad thing.

But I do think they are overly conservative.

They will probably sit Collins behind Leary and Byron Jones behind Carr, our who gives a shit third CB and J.J. Wilcox, no matter what they do.

"Competition" is still relative to the contracts they are held to. Always has been that way in Dallas.

That is the one area where Jerry still has a deep influence, IMO.

boozeman said:

Knowing how this staff does things, I see Mincey and Lawrence opening the season as starters, Gregory comes off the bench.

That is not really a bad thing.

But I do think they are overly conservative.

They will probably sit Collins behind Leary and Byron Jones behind Carr, our who gives a shit third CB and J.J. Wilcox, no matter what they do.

"Competition" is still relative to the contracts they are held to. Always has been that way in Dallas.

That is the one area where Jerry still has a deep influence, IMO.

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Garrett has always seemed extremely untrusting of young players. It's why he loves his backup QB's to be as close to 40 as possible. I don't mind making a rookie earn it but sometimes you just have to play the better player. Plus football is a young mans sport. Last year we sort of went young and it paid off.