49ers hope Randy Gregory can help boost pass rush

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Six games into his ninth NFL season, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Randy Gregory feels like he hasn't yet reached his potential.

Gregory was a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2015 NFL draft and earned a five-year, $70 million contract from the Denver Broncos in 2022 free agency. But his career has been defined by fits and starts, alternately flashing tantalizing potential amidst a frustrating string of suspensions and injuries.

When the Broncos made Gregory available for trade in early October, the Niners were immediately interested. That Denver was willing to take on roughly $10 million of Gregory's remaining salary this season and accepted a 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for Gregory and a 2024 seventh-round pick only made the deal more appealing.

Gregory hopes that starting anew in San Francisco -- his third team in as many seasons -- allows him, even at 30 years old, to finally reaches his football ceiling. He's taken quickly to coordinator Steve Wilks' defense, posting three tackles, a sack and two pressures in 24 snaps in his Niners' debut this past Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. He'll make his second appearance with the Niners on Monday night at the Minnesota Vikings (8:15 p.m. ET, Bank of America Stadium, ABC/ESPN/ESPN+).

"I always do [have something to prove]," Gregory said. "I think anybody, whatever stage they are in their career, should feel that way. Five, 10, 15 years in the league, doesn't matter. And I feel the same way. I think a big thing for me is trying to prove people wrong. Putting the NFL back on notice, doing things I know I can do well and being a good teammate."

If ever there was a place for Gregory to put it all together, it'd be with the 49ers. At 5-1 with a loaded roster, the Niners are a favorite to win the Super Bowl. What's more, their commitment to bolstering their defensive line has exceeded every other position group since coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived in 2017.

That devotion is buoyed by defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, who has a knack for taking underachieving defensive linemen, coaching them up and landing them big paydays, either with the 49ers or elsewhere. For Gregory, the chance to join Kocurek's aggressive wide-9 alignment, where he can put his hand in the ground rather than rush standing up, makes for an easy match.

"I think what we do well is attacking, getting up field," Gregory said. "I think me and Coach Kris, that's been the biggest thing we've talked about the last couple of days is just getting my feet down and having the right stance and just being able to get up field. I think that's what they do well, cause havoc and that's what I plan on doing."

Given the affordability, all the Niners had to do was figure out how Gregory would fit. From a football standpoint, it wasn't that hard. San Francisco has been seeking a complement opposite Nick Bosa at defensive end since Dee Ford began dealing with back problems in 2019.

Through the first five weeks, San Francisco defensive ends Drake Jackson, Clelin Ferrell, Kerry Hyder Jr. and Austin Bryant combined for four sacks and 13 pressures, with three of those sacks coming from Jackson in Week 1.

For his part, Gregory had a sack and eight pressures in his first four games in Denver and as recently as 2021 had six sacks and 30 pressures in 12 games for the Cowboys.

All of which is why multiple Niners, including Bosa, left tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Arik Armstead, described Gregory's fit as "perfect" soon after the trade was made.

"He adds everything that we're about," Williams said. "A guy who plays like his hair is on fire, a guy who will give you 100% to the whistle. Obviously, a great pass-rusher, will get after the quarterback, sets the edge in the run game. So, everything we're about, he's about. It's a perfect fit."

The only question that needed to be answered had little to do with football. A big reason Gregory hasn't been able to reach his potential on the field is because he has often been unavailable.

Once regarded as a first-round lock coming out of Nebraska, Gregory tested positive for marijuana at the NFL scouting combine, which led to a tumble to the second round. Since entering the league, Gregory has missed a combined 54 games because of marijuana-related suspensions.

The landscape of the league when it comes to marijuana has changed considerably since Gregory's career began. Pot-related suspensions for positive tests are a thing of the past and Gregory says he's in a good place on and off the field.

Shanahan said the team did its homework before making the trade and came back with nothing but great feedback on Gregory.

"There's a lot of people I know really well that speak extremely high of him and it's very consistent," Shanahan said. "I'm excited about the person we got, the character of the guy, from what I've been told from everyone who knows him. And we love the tape. I know he has messed up at times in the past, but from the type of person I've been told that he is, we're really excited to have him here."

The early returns have been good. Gregory says the knee issue that slowed him in training camp and early in the season has vanished. As time goes, Gregory's role will likely expand and he'll get more snaps than what he was given against Cleveland, particularly rushing the passer. For now, he's focused on fitting in and making the most of his new opportunity.

"Obviously, I've got a lot on the line and they're seeing the big picture for me," Gregory said. "I just want to slide in where I belong."