OXNARD, Calif. – Josh Brent will be welcomed back by the Cowboys if he gets reinstated.
Owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he would make a roster spot for Brent if he gets cleared to play after his meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL on Thursday.
"We wouldn't have it today, but we'll make a roster spot," Jones said.
He clarified that once Brent is cleared, there will be a spot waiting for him.
It's been 20 months since Brent last stepped foot on an NFL field against the Eagles in December 2012, prior to the tragic drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of his friend and teammate, Jerry Brown.
Between jail time and rehab, Brent's had a lot more on his plate than thinking about football, but it's clear now the Cowboys would bring him back the 26-year-old to see what he has left if he gets cleared. The Cowboys have remained adamant throughout the last year and a half that they'd stick by and support Brent.
Whether or not Brent can play immediately will be determined by the league. Jones said he wouldn't ask the commissioner to speed up the process to get the ruling on Brent more quickly. [embedded_ad]
"Good judgment tells you let this happen on the commissioner's time," Jones said. "I don't want to be presumptuous, and there's no pressure…So the answer is no, I wouldn't dare ask him to hurry up his judgment in that area.
"There's no place for input in my mind for the club asking to facilitate something that might be to the advantage of the club. This is about the behavior of the player, the player's future in the NFL and our policies in the NFL."
In three seasons with the club from 2010-2012, Brent compiled 1.5 sacks. All of them came in his final year, but many expected that number to climb when the Cowboys switched to the 4-3 in 2013. Brent is currently retired with the club and will have to await the decision from Goodell, who could choose to discipline the defensive tackle further.
