Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network has confirmed with the Dallas County Sheriff’s office that former Cowboys DT Josh Brent has been released from jail today.
- Brent has apparently said that he is retiring from the NFL, according to Rapoport.
Cowboys VP Stephen Jones told reporters a few weeks ago that they would be open to bringing Brent back once he completes his jail sentence, so this could be something to keep an eye on in the coming months.
Brent was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years probation after being convicted of intoxication manslaughter — a crime that resulted in the death of former teammate and friend Jerry Brown Jr.
Back in February, Jones told reporters; “He’s retired and he has got a lot of work ahead of him. But obviously we hope he does all of the right things. And if he does, at some point, and he feels like he has got his priorities in the right order and he wants to play football, then, we’ll discuss that.”
The fact that Jones reiterated the team’s openness to the return of Brent suggests that this a real possibility. Brent is scheduled to be released just prior to the beginning of the Cowboys training camp, which begins on July 23rd.
The move would be a curious one, as Brent’s situation is very sensitive. The sentence was widely believed to be lenient, and incorporating Brent back into the fold could prove to be a monumental task.
Further, Brent played as a nose tackle in Dallas’ 3-4 scheme. With DC Rod Marinelli running the defense now, the system prefers gap-penetrating defensive tackles.
Brent has 44 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 39 games over three seasons with Dallas.
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