TAMPA, Fla. — The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with outside linebacker Randy Gregory to release him, and coach Todd Bowles said Sunday that he was never given a reason why Gregory didn't show up for training camp.
“I'll never know, but I wish him the best and we'll move on from there,” Bowles said. “You can't miss what you never had.”
Gregory had yet to report to training camp and missed two preseason games after filing a lawsuit against the NFL and the Denver Broncos for alleged discrimination in June. In it, Gregory claimed the league and team denied him the use of the drug dronabinol, which is prescribed by a doctor for the treatment of social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and which earned him a $500,000 fine.
The Bucs placed Gregory on the reserve/unreported list on July 23. He had signed a one-year contract with the club for $3 million with an additional $2 million in incentives. Gregory missed three mandatory minicamp practices, 24 days of training camp (which includes practice days, meeting days, travel days, team activities, and preseason game days). Gregory missed one preseason game (against the Cincinnati Bengals). The agreement to release him was reached on Aug. 15 (but not reported until Saturday), meaning Saturday's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars did not count toward his total missed training camp days.
Gregory was fined approximately $1,377,549 for the time missed with the Buccaneers, who can also collect a certain percentage of his bonus based on the number of days missed.
Starter YaYa Diaby has also been out with an ankle injury and isn’t expected to return until Week 1, while Joe Tryon-Shoyinka missed time recently with a shoulder and neck injury but returned to practice this week. Bowles, however, said he’s not worried about depth at the position. Jose Ramirez produced three sacks against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night, while fellow second-year outside linebacker Markees Watts also recorded a sack.
“The outside linebacker position on defense probably has the most depth of any position there, so we feel very comfortable with the guys we have playing and supporting them right now. And guys that could possibly make the team,” Bowles said.
