Is Randy Gregory playing for 49ers this week vs. his old team, the Cowboys?

Though not a blockbuster, the 49ers' trade for Randy Gregory is a statement move. But will he be available for the Niners ahead of their game against the Cowboys?

A year ago, the San Francisco 49ers pulled off the blockbuster of blockbuster trades, acquiring All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers.

That move is looking like an absolute steal with each passing week.

On Friday, the Niners engineered another trade. And while picking up edge Randy Gregory from the Denver Broncos for what essentially amounts to a day-three NFL Draft pick swap (Denver's seventh for San Francisco's sixth),

The Dallas Cowboys originally drafted Gregory in Round 2 of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. Checkered with character concerns and red flags, Gregory endured numerous suspensions during his tenure with the Cowboys before signing a free-agent contract with the Broncos in 2022.

It just so happens that the 49ers' next opponent is Dallas.

Will Randy Gregory play for 49ers vs. Cowboys this Sunday?

It would be ideal for Gregory to take the field for the first time in a Niners uniform while going up against his old squad, particularly with the game being played in prime time on Sunday Night Football.

Gregory was able to fly in from Denver and joined his teammates for Friday's practice but will take off back to Denver to collect his belongings, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan (h/t Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area).

Shanahan also hinted at the possibility of Gregory playing this Sunday by saying, "There's a chance."

However, Maiocco disputed that comment by pointing out that Gregory would spend the weekend back in Denver before returning on Monday to fully join his new squad.

So, despite whatever "chance" there might have been, it doesn't appear as if Gregory will suit up for San Francisco when both teams kick off on Sunday night at 8:20 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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