If reports are true, Cowboys fans are going to have another reason to question whether or not the league is out to get them.

Randy Gregory deserves whatever punishment the league doles out for his drug test infractions. What the Cowboys don’t deserve is having to wait until the week of preparing for their divisional playoff game to find out if Gregory will be suspended again. Per reports, Gregory’s appeal hearing is set to take place after Wild Card weekend.

Stephen Jones on Randy Gregory: He’ll have his appeal hearing .. in next week to 10 days, and then a final decision will be made. — Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) January 1, 2017

If Gregory loses the appeal hearing in any way, a suspension would be immediately enacted and his season would be over.

On Sunday, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory recorded his first career sack. In just his second game of the season, the second-year pro flashed an ability to use his speed and flex to work his way around one of the game’s best left tackles in the Eagles Jason Peters. Gregory had been suspended the first 14 games of the season following multiple failed drug tests that saw him report to a rehabilitation program in August.

In fact, Gregory reportedly had been suspended a third time this season, for allegedly missing a drug test during the season. The penalty for this additional infraction was an entire season ban. Gregory has appealed that decision and league rules have the player eligible until the appeal hearing. The NFL has decided to hold the hearing following the Cowboys bye week.

The Cowboys are thin along the defensive line, but hope to get some players back as the team rests and waits to find out who their first playoff opponent’s would be. DE Demarcus Lawrence missed the final three games of the season nursing a back injury. DE/DT Tyrone Crawford is nuring shoulder and hamstring injuries. Crawford is expected back, Lawrence is up in the air.

Dallas was led in sacks in 2016 by RFA signing Benson Mayowa with six. He and David Irving have come on over the last half of the season to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines. Gregory’s inclusion would have made a difference though, as he is a legitimate threat to use his speed and blow past tackles on any given play.

From one point of view, getting anything from Gregory this season was considered a bonus. Most wrote him off as being a non-factor, likely gone all of next year and questionable to ever wear a Cowboys uniform again.

From the other, it would feel like a bad tease to be able to see Gregory in two meaningless regular season games (Dallas clinched home-field before they faced Detroit in Week 16), but not have him for games that matter.

Regardless, the league has a firm policy on using marijuana and it was Gregory’s actions that earned him the initial suspensions. The appeal hearing will determine if he once again ran afoul of the rules.