Randy Gregory‘s first year in Tampa Bay hasn’t gotten off to the best start. The veteran edge rusher was a no-show for the first day of mandatory minicamp, with coach Todd Bowles declaring it an unexcused absence.
[RELATED: Randy Gregory Files Lawsuit Against NFL, Broncos]
“It’s disappointing when anybody is not here but we’ll deal with it,” Bowles said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “It’s minicamp and we’ll go accordingly.”
Gregory joined the Buccaneers earlier this offseason, signing a one-year pact that could be worth up to $5MM. The signing reunited the pass rusher with ex-Cowboys assistant George Edwards. The two worked together in Dallas from 2020-21, when Edwards served as a senior defensive assistant. Edwards is now in charge of an OLB grouping that’s supposed to include Gregory.
The beginning of the veteran’s career was define by suspensions. While Gregory has generally avoided trouble in recent years, the player recently filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Broncos, where he played for one-plus seasons. Gregory claimed that he’s been fined more than $500K over the past year-plus for taking medications that include THC. The suit alleges discrimination, with Gregory claiming he was denied a therapeutic use exemption for this medication before being slapped with a $533K fine. Bowles declined to say whether the player’s absence was related to the lawsuit.
Of course, Gregory will also be subject to fines for missing practice, with Stroud noting that the player could face $100K in penalties. Fortunately for the Buccaneers, the team has a relatively deep group of outside linebackers that includes recent second-round pick Chris Braswell.
This guy just can’t get out of his own way. Low quality character.
I’m shocked, SHOCKED, that Randy Gregory might not be reliable.
I was just defending his marijuana use and still do but on the basis that marijuana should be available to pro athletes as it is to everyday citizens but Gregory as a person is hard to defend. He signed a one year deal in the offseason so it’s not a contract holdout. How do you miss the first day of mandatory minicamp unexcused. It’s not like you work m-f and after six months you miss a day you’ve been off for months now and you can’t show your face or even fake an illness or anything? He’s suing the NFL for 500k in a suit im sure he’ll lose whether I agree or not but you do something that could get you fined 100k. If he’s got money like that and needs thc for mental health maybe he needs to pull a Ricky Williams and retire that I couldn’t fault him for. Just don’t sign a contract and be a no show
Think when he does show its guaranteed piss test. He knows how the game is played.
Great point
Not a good impression on new teammates
Looked at him like a camp body anyways.
Dumbest dope head on Earth. Has the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing a game for a living a somehow is so lazy and doped up he can’t be bothered to show up. Way to show them you useless road apple.
Bucs know who the guy is and his past actions.