The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and outside linebacker, Randy Gregory have parted ways before the regular season began. Gregory, who was involved in a legal dispute with the NFL and Denver Broncos over alleged discrimination, never attended training camp and missed important preseason preparation, resulting in significant fines.
According to ABC News, Gregory was placed on the reserve/did not report list on July 23 after missing three mandatory minicamp practices and a confluence of other team activities. His deal with the team, which included $3 million in salary with the potential to earn another $2 million in incentives, now culminates in a release agreement reached on August 15, though it only hit the news waves several days later. Meanwhile, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles seems as in the dark as everyone else about Gregory's notable absence, reflecting a sense of finality in the decision to roll forward without him. "I'll never find out, but I wish him the best and we'll move on from there," Bowles said, "Can't miss what you never had."
ESPN provides additional insight into the circumstances that led up to this outcome. Gregory, who signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in April, ignored not just the training camp but also missed two preseason games, all while engaging in a lawsuit accusing the NFL and his former team, the Denver Broncos, of denying him usage of the medication dronabinol. Gregory uses the substance, legalized by prescription, to combat his social anxiety disorder and PTSD.
The situation, as painted by ESPN, highlights the ongoing tension between individual health needs and league regulations. Gregory's absence from team-prepared activities tallied up to 24 days of training camp, which included practice days, meeting days, travel days, and team activities along with the preseason game days. The Buccaneers' coach stated his resigned outlook on the situation, stating no point in lamenting what was never fully realized, in a statement obtained by the New York Post: "No, I never found out," Bowles said Sunday during a press conference. “I wish him the best. We’ll move on from there. You can’t miss what you never had.”
