Report: Denver Broncos trade Randy Gregory to San Francisco 49ers

The Denver Broncos have reportedly traded edge rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers, a day after it was reported he was being released, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. However, Denver never made the release official, allowing the franchise to recoup some draft assets while cutting Gregory loose.

The terms of the trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, involve Denver sending Gregory and a 2024 7th-round pick to the 49ers in exchange for a 2024 6th-round pick. In San Francisco, he joins one of the best defenses — and teams — in the league.

Schefter further reported that San Francisco will pay Gregory the veteran minimum, as he’s still owed millions on his deal from Denver. However, without guaranteed money into the future, Gregory is effectively a rental in San Francisco.

San Francisco hosts the Dallas Cowboys, where Gregory played prior to Denver, on Sunday night. He’s unlikely to appear in that game, but should feature for the 49ers moving forward.

Gregory has had a whirlwind career, playing six-plus seasons for two teams across nine years. After getting drafted by the Cowboys in the 2nd round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Nebraska, Gregory played in 12 games and looked like a potentially solid piece. However, he’d miss most of the 2016 and all of the 2017 season due to failed drug tests.

He returned to play for the Cowboys in 2018, tallying six sacks and 15 quarterback hits in 14 games, including one start.

However, he was suspended indefinitely and missed the 2019 season after more violations to the league substance abuse policies.

Gregory was reinstated ahead of the 2020 season, and has not missed time due to suspension since. In recent years, his struggle has been health. In the last three-plus seasons, Gregory has played in 32 total games. He played in just five for Denver in 2023.

And as the Broncos have featured one of the worst defenses in football to start the season, Gregory, who turns 31 in late November, became expendable. This despite signing a deal for 5 years and around $70 million to join the Broncos last summer. He had originally been set to return to the Cowboys for a similar price tag. Instead, Denver eschewed the pass rusher to give more reps and pathways to play to younger talent on the roster.

But lucky for him, rather than trying to get signed off the street in the middle of the season, he’ll get plopped into one of the best defensive units in the league with a chance to grow into a pass rushing role. Quite a whirlwind few days for Gregory.