After missing the better part of two seasons, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory finished the 2018 season with six sacks and 41 total pressures. In 2019, Gregory has a chance to break the ever-elusive double-digit sack barrier.

How?

Glad you asked.

Blessed with a 6-foot-5, 242-pound frame to go with 34-inch arms, Gregory is one of the most naturally talented pass rushers in the NFL. From the explosive get-off to the flexibility to corner to the burst to finish, Gregory has all the physical traits to be an elite pass rusher. Once the Nebraska product's technique catches up with his physical gifts, the sky is the limit.

One aspect that shouldn't be overlooked is the fact that 2019 will be Gregory's first full offseason with the Cowboys since his rookie year. This will be a great opportunity for him to fine-tune his craft, maintain his bulk and improve his endurance, empowering himself to build off his success from 2018.

Gregory still won't be a finished product in 2019 -- the finer details of pass rushing take years to master -- but he still has a realistic chance of recording 10-plus sacks.

Though not a finished product, Gregory did show improvement throughout the 2018 season. For much of the season, Gregory relied on effort and winning off his first move -- including long arms, chops, bull rushes and swim moves -- to generate pressure a majority of the time. When he was forced to counter, Gregory struggled.

But toward the end of the season, Gregory started to flash the ability to sequence moves together to counter strikes and technique of the opposing blocker. Here's a great example:

On that play, Gregory is aligned wide opposite Seahawks left tackle Duane Brown, who was named a second-team All-Pro in 2018. Once the ball is snapped, Gregory explodes out of his stance at a 45-degree angle, which allows him to avoid Mike Davis' (No. 27) chip block.

Once he reaches striking distance, Gregory uses a stutter step to manipulate the width of Brown's pass set. Notice how Brown redirects inside slightly after initially setting wide. This movement allows Gregory to win inside hand position with his left hand, enabling him to create the separation necessary to sequence into another move.

Once he created the separation with his long arm, Gregory masterfully works his hips toward the pocket and swats Brown's counter strike away, putting himself in position to easily flatten to the pocket.

Even though Russell Wilson is able to climb in the pocket, Gregory's lower-body flexibility allows him to turn a tight corner and continue pursuing Wilson without losing too much momentum, which is why he is able to trip Wilson up before he even sniffs the first-down marker (it was third and 13).

If Gregory can be more consistent in countering opposing linemen's strikes and sequence his pass-rush moves together, it would enable him to maximize his outstanding physical traits.

Gregory's physical gifts are bountiful and easy to notice on tape. Take his Week 14 sack against the Eagles for example, where Gregory doesn't even land with his hands but still is able to beat a block and sack Carson Wentz:

On that rep, Gregory is aligned with a wide alignment over six-time All-Pro Jason Peters (two first-team, four second-team). Once the ball is snapped, Gregory fires out of his stance and pushes vertical to try and stress Peters' set. Peters initially sets flat, causing Gregory to widen his rush as he bursts up the field.

After Gregory reaches the apex of his third step, he feints the cross chop before dropping his pad level and turning his inside foot toward the pocket, which allows him to get his hips on track to the pocket.

Once Gregory is able to get around Peters' edge, watch how he is able to instantly throw the brakes on and make a 90-degree cut before bursting downhill to bring Wentz down:

It's extremely rare to see a 242-pound defensive end make a 90-degree cut like Amari Cooper -- who is 30 pounds lighter -- can running a dig route. There may be a handful of defensive ends, regardless of size, on Earth who

the flexibility, body control and burst to accomplish such an impressive physical feat.

The Cowboys are lucky enough to have one of them.

Another sack from Randy Gregory. This time it was off the coverage variety. pic.twitter.com/YA746HEFrh — John Owning (@JohnOwning) November 19, 2018

Gregory's athleticism is easy to identify on film, but the 26-year-old doesn't get enough credit for his motor and effort level. It's one of the biggest reasons why Gregory should continue to produce as a pass rusher, even if he doesn't evolve as much technically as he should.

A lot of Gregory's potential success hinges on the Cowboys retaining DeMarcus Lawrence this offseason, as his ability to draw extra attention allows Gregory to see a lot of one-on-one matchups on the edge. Without Lawrence, Gregory would certainly see an uptick in chip blocks and double teams, which would make the idea of double-digit sacks much more unlikely this year.

Luckily for Gregory, all signs point toward the Cowboys figuring out a way to retain Lawrence, whether it be by extension or another franchise tag.

With Gregory likely to see a high percentage of one-on-one pass-rush opportunities, he will be in a lot of favorable positions in 2019.

Anywhere from 8-12 sacks is feasible for Gregory in 2019, though 10-plus sacks should certainly be the goal for the ultra-talented defensive end.

Twitter: @JohnOwning