The Broncos activated one of their biggest offseason acquisitions on Monday, four weeks from the first regular-season game of 2022. Linebacker Randy Gregory hopes he’ll be ready to go when the game at Seattle rolls around, following offseason shoulder surgery.
“That’s the plan,” Gregory told reporters. “Today is a big step going out there and doing individual [drills]. At the end of the day, the plan is to be ready for Week One.”
He hopes that the procedure on his shoulder will make a difference in his game. He said it was an issue he’d been dealing with for three years.
“It got to the point where it was hindering my play, so it was definitely something important to do long-term for the team,” Gregory said. “I got it taken care of and I’m glad it’s in the past. I’m still working through some kinks, but I should be ready to go.”
Gregory believes that his repaired shoulder will improve his game.
“Pre-surgery, there were a lot of things that I couldn’t do that normally [everyone] should be able to do,” he said. “Going out there and playing on it like that has been kind of tough. I’m a fighter and tried to fight through it, but it got to a point where I had to really take care of that. The mobility aspect of it and the range of motion has probably been the biggest thing.”
Even with a bad shoulder, Gregory was pretty damn good. Coach Nathaniel Hackett explained to reporters that, in the preparations for the preseason game against Dallas, they watched some Cowboys film from last year, when Gregory played in Dallas.
“We’re all looking at each other going, ‘Oh, we’re really happy that guy on our team.’ He’s a dynamic guy. He’s got an unbelievable motor. He is nonstop all throughout the play. He’s physical, he’s fast, he’s a smart player. I think all those things that he brings are so great for our football team and watching him rush the edge is going to be something I’m excited to see.”
Broncos fans will be excited, too. With Von Miller gone, Gregory and Bradley Chubb become potentially potent bookends.
