The Cowboys have a couple of pass rushers who hope to be reinstated from league-imposed suspensions. Cowboys COO, executive V.P., and director of player personnel Stephen Jones addressed the status of the effort of Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory to officially return to football during a Friday visit to #PFTPM.
“We haven’t heard anything,” Jones said. “I do know for sure Aldon has been in front of the Commissioner. He’s waiting to hear back. I think Randy may or — I’m not exactly sure where that is. Sometimes we’re not privy to that. We’re not sure when we’ll hear something. Obviously, the league is looking out for their best interest. As men off the field and certainly that’s what’s first and foremost and the priority is how they’re coming off the field. If ultimately they get to a point which we think they can that Roger [Goodell] feels like they can come back to work and play football and that’s in their best interest in addition to what they need off the field, then certainly we’ll welcome them back and go to work.”
The new labor deal dramatically changes the rules regarding potential suspensions for violating the substance-abuse policy. Jones was asked whether he was surprised that the revised policy didn’t provide a clean slate to suspended players like Smith and Gregory.
“Well, it’s just now getting implemented with the new CBA,” Jones said. “So we’ll see as we move forward. I know Roger his staff are getting their hands around it. . . . I think at the end of the day we’re gonna have something here that’s in the best interest for the players. All the things that you’re speaking of are going to be taken into account. As we move forward we’ll have a much better feel for how this is gonna work.”
Technically, the Commissioner has full discretion to decide whether players are reinstated, with no deadline for making decisions.