NFL suspends Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory for four games

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

It's the realization of a fear the Cowboys have had since taking a chance on Gregory with a second-round pick in last year's draft.

Considered a first-round talent, the former Nebraska star fell to the second round because of off-the-field concerns, including a positive test for marijuana at last year’s scouting combine.

The Cowboys felt they had right infrastructure in place to manage and support Gregory, making this a good situation for both sides.

So far, it’s been a lose-lose scenario. Gregory followed up a disappointing rookie season, in which he registered no sacks and missed four games with a high ankle sprain, with a another failed drug test that has taken him off the field for first games next season.

Gregory will be available for off-season practices, training camp and preseason games.

Per the NFL substance abuse policy, a four-game suspension comes after four failed tests. It means he has failed four tests since last year’s combine. It also means that he has already been fined four game checks, which is the penalty phase before being suspended for four games.

Gregory admitted last year that he struggled with marijuana in college at Nebraska, but blamed it on bad decision-making rather than him having a problem “with weed”.

“It’s not so much about that, it’s about bad decision-making,” Gregory said after the draft.

One year later, he and the Cowboys are back in the same spot.

The Cowboys already had a need at defensive end in the upcoming draft and free agency because Jeremy Mincey, Greg Hardy and Jack Crawford were free agents, leaving Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence as the only ends under contract.

Gregory's suspension makes the need more acute.

The team’s staff is heading to the scouting combine next week in Indianapolis. The Cowboys have the fourth overall pick in the draft.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 3:16 PM with the headline "NFL suspends Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory for four games."