The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially released edge rusher Randy Gregory following his absence from training camp.
On Sunday, Coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Gregory was placed on the reserve/did not report list on July 23 due to his failure to attend camp. Bowles expressed that he remained unaware of the reasons behind Gregory’s absence.
“No, I never found out,” Bowles stated. “I wish him the best. We’ll move on from there. You can’t miss what you never had.”
Randy Gregory, 31, has previously played for the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers. He signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Buccaneers during free agency but did not participate in either the voluntary offseason program or the mandatory minicamp this summer.
In June, Gregory filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Broncos, alleging discrimination related to a $532,500 fine for using medication containing THC to manage disabilities during his time in Denver.
The lawsuit claims that Gregory was prescribed Dronabinol for social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder but was denied accommodations to use this medication.
While the NFL no longer suspends players for testing positive for THC, it remains a banned substance, and players can still face fines for positive tests.
Although the Broncos are named in the lawsuit, teams do not have a role in levying fines against players for violations of league drug policies. The NFL and NFLPA jointly administer these policies through a third-party medical professional.
Gregory has faced $532,500 in fines for multiple positive THC tests since March 2023. His lawsuit argues that the NFL’s and club’s refusal to provide necessary accommodations for his disabilities violates Colorado law.
Originally a second-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2015, Gregory played five seasons in Dallas, during which he faced multiple suspensions for drug policy violations. He joined the Broncos in 2022 but missed a significant portion of that season due to a knee injury. In 2023, he split time between the Broncos and the 49ers, who acquired him in a trade in October.
Across seven NFL seasons, Gregory has participated in 72 games, accumulating 22 career sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and 69 quarterback hits.
