Cowboys DE Randy Gregory has many cheerleaders, but still has plenty to prove to himself

OXNARD, Calif. – Suspensions have stunted promising careers.

Mental disorders and the substances ingested to cope with the overshadowed production.

Randy Gregory’s journey is far from over. He has to walk this challenging path for the rest of his life. But as the Cowboys defensive end moves into his seventh season, he feels like he’s better equipped to deal with whatever life throws his way and focus on his performance again.

Receiver CeeDee Lamb was excellent at this camp. Gregory is probably right behind him.

He kept putting himself in the quarterback’s face. After plugging a couple of setbacks Kellen Moore called in training the other day, head coach Mike McCarthy casually told his offensive coordinator he wasn’t sure he would keep running in that direction.

The foundation for a successful season has been laid, mentally and physically. Gregory feels more confident in this phase than in previous seasons. Even so, he refuses to outdo himself, which cannot be said for supporters and fans thirsting for a feel-good story.

“Look, I’ve got a lot to prove,” said Gregory. “There’s a lot of talk at the moment. I really think I’m going to have a good offseason. But there is still a lot to prove in the field.

“I don’t want to sit here and say, did you ever doubt that you would be here. I still have the feeling that I haven’t really arrived.

“There is a lot for me to do.”

A start against four suspensions in his first six seasons. A total of 10.5 bags. Gregory has been eligible to play in 96 regular season games since joining the NFL as a second-round pick in 2015.

He appeared in 38. He was banned for 30 of 32 games in a troubling section for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Marijuana was Gregory’s crutch to dealing with the fears and pressures that sometimes overwhelms him. But the league has eased its restrictions on marijuana, and Gregory has worked with Dr. Dina Hijazi, a Dallas-based psychologist, worked together to rebuild his confidence and career.

“I think you need to be comfortable with yourself, be confident,” said Gregory. “There have been times in the past when I was very anxious. I was the type of person who had low self-esteem and didn’t do very well in situations like this [interviews] or situations in which I had to prove my leadership skills and be really confident.

“Being confident in the field and off the field somehow goes hand in hand. If I’m fine on one side, I think I’m fine on the other. ”

The coaching staff recently appointed Gregory to its 14-player board of directors. The defensive end admits that this wasn’t even a distant possibility five years ago, though he adds that the Jones family saw that trait in him before he saw it for himself.

Gregory, who has struggled to maintain his weight in the past, now weighs 258 pounds and is staying stable. He is feeling well.

Dan Quinn is intrigued to see what Gregory can do as a featured pass rusher on his system. The defensive coordinator was impressed by the defensive mindset and attitude during their time together.

“I would say he has a rare ability to bend over,” said Quinn. “This is unusual for a man who is six feet tall.

“If you don’t get off to a good start, it’s hard to be a good pass rusher. He did. He has initial speed. But I think it’s his ability to stick his foot in the ground and flex that makes him so unique. When it’s time to spin and he can bend and get out or in during a game.

“He’s got unique stuff and I’m looking forward to seeing, ‘Okay, here we are and this is where we try to reach.’ ”

Gregory has made an encouraging start to this camp. He should start on the defensive end against DeMarcus Lawrence when the Cowboys open the regular season against Tampa Bay and Tom Brady.

Then the clock starts ticking, which Gregory has to prove.

“I still want to pat myself on the back with that,” said Gregory. “I feel like I really deserve it. I worked hard to get to this point. From that point on I have to have a good game on the field and stay out of trouble in what I try.

“Be the type everyone expects of me and I expect me to be.”

See David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with the Musers at 9:35 a.m. and the Hardline at 4:30 p.m. during Cowboys training camp.

More cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News can be found here.

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