Former Blackshirts Randy Gregory, Maliek Collins reportedly land deals in NFL free agency | Football

Randy Gregory is cashing in this offseason. 

He’s just not doing it with the team most people expected him to. 

After the former Nebraska pass-rusher reportedly came close to agreeing on a five-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys, the only team Gregory has played for in the NFL, he instead is headed to the Denver Broncos. 

The terms in Denver, according to multiple reports, are similar to the five years and up to $70 million ($28 million guaranteed) that he was close to finalizing with Dallas before the deal fell apart late in the process. 

Gregory had perhaps his best season in the NFL in 2021, playing in 12 games for the Cowboys and finishing with six sacks, tied for a career best, and four tackles for loss to go along with three forced fumbles and an interception. 

The former two-time first-team All-Big Ten performer at Nebraska and 2015 second-round draft pick has had his share of ups and downs since getting to the professional level — he’s been suspended multiple times and did not appear in a game in either the 2017 or 2019 seasons — but has played in 22 games over the past two seasons and now 50 overall in his career. 

Also on Tuesday, former NU defensive lineman Maliek Collins agreed to a two-year deal with the Houston Texans that is worth up to $17 million and comes with $8.5 million guaranteed, his agent confirmed to multiple outlets, including the Houston Chronicle. 

Collins, a third-round pick out of Nebraska in 2016, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cowboys before playing 2020 in Las Vegas and last year with the Texans. He’ll stay in Houston now as Lovie Smith makes the transition from defensive coordinator to head coach. 

Monday marked the beginning of this year’s free agency in the NFL, but teams cannot formally announce signings until Wednesday. 

Huskers to livestream pro day: Anybody who wants to can watch the next batch of former Nebraska players and NFL hopefuls make their case next week.

The program announced via its social media accounts that it is going to livestream the on-field portion of the school’s pro day workouts on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter on March 22 beginning at 1 p.m. 

It is the first time NU has streamed the event. 

This year a big group is taking part, according to the school. That list includes four players who also attended the NFL Scouting Combine last month in Indianapolis: defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt, offensive lineman Cam Jurgens, linebacker JoJo Domann and tight end Austin Allen. 

Others set to participate: wide receivers Samori Toure and Levi Falck, safeties Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke, and defensive linemen Damion Daniels and Ben Stille. 

None of the four who participated in the combine did all of the testing drills, but Taylor-Britt (4.38 seconds) and Jurgens (4.92 at 303 pounds) ran impressive times in the 40-yard dash, Domann put together a solid performance and ran 4.62, and Allen had some of the better shuttle times among tight ends. 

Check back for updates to this story.