Tampa Bay Buccaneers mandatory minicamp has come and gone, and it did so without Randy Gregory showing up.
After signing a one-year deal with the Bucs back in April, Gregory failed to show up for minicamp. Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that all three absences were unexcused, which raises some questions about Gregory’s future with the team before his tenure has been able to get going.
Gregory was signed as edge rush depth with the hopes that he’d be able to tap back into the special player he was at the start of the decade in Dallas. He bounced from Denver to San Francisco — the former he’s currently suing — all in the span of a year.
He seemed to be a guy who could become a sleeper this offseason, but now he might be in danger of losing his job altogether because of what happened last week.
Will the Buccaneers move on from Randy Gregory after skipping minicamp?
Gregory is suing the NFL and the Denver Broncos over fines he received for violating the league’s drug policy. He alleges that even though he informed the everyone that he needed marijuana to help him with anxiety, he was still fined by the league and reprimanded by the Broncos.
Buccaneers insider Scott Reynolds recently opined on whether the team should cut bait on Gregory after just a few months, and seems to think that might be best for all involved.
Aside from the off-field noise being created by Gregory suing the league, Reynolds wonders where he fits on the roster when so many young players are fighting for a job. It’s worth noting that guys like Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts did something Gregory didn’t — showed up to minicamp.
“Gregory’s time in Tampa Bay is already off to a rocky start, and this situation doesn’t feel right and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to get any better,” Reynolds said. “The Bucs will likely only keep five outside linebackers this year as they did a year ago, so where could Gregory even fit anyways? I don’t see the logic in 31-year-old veteran on a one-year deal taking away reps from young developing players.”
Linebacker was already a crowded room, but there seemed to be a path for Gregory to be an impact player as part of a rotation. That’s still very much a possibility, but he’s exposed himself to being on the roster bubble after missing camp.
It’s clear the Bucs aren’t very happy with him, and the competition from guys like Ramirez, Watts, and rookie Chris Braswell all suggest his tenure could be short-lived. He still has training camp to prove his worth, but the pressure is on unlike before for him to start earning his keep in Tampa Bay.
