Getty SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 19: Randy Gregory #5 of the Denver Broncos looks on from the sidelines against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Levi's Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers put their faith in free agent outside linebacker Randy Gregory this offseason by signing him to a 1-year contract worth up to $5 million.
That faith hasn’t been totally reciprocated by Gregory, who ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported was an unexcused absence at the first day of mandatory minicamp on June 11.
“It’s disappointing when anyone’s not here but we’ll deal with it,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles told Laine. “We’ll deal with it. Right now, I’m only gonna coach the guys that’s here.”
Gregory made news this week when he filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Denver Broncos, one of his former teams, over $532,500 in fines for positive THC tests.
Gregory alleges he was discriminated against by the NFL and Broncos after he was prescribed a drug that contains a synthetic form of THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, in order to treat social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Gregory applied for a therapeutic use exemption to use the drug but was denied by the Broncos and the NFL, which no longer tests for marijuana but does test for synthetic marijuana.
Gregory could face up to $101,716 in fines if he misses all three days of minicamp.
Substance Abuse Has Impacted Gregory’s Career
Gregory has a well-documented history of off-field struggles since the Dallas Cowboys selected him out of Nebraska in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft.
In Feb. 2016, the NFL suspended Gregory for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, followed by a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in Sept. 2016.
Gregory played in the final two games of the regular season but failed another drug test and was suspended for the 2016 postseason and the entire 2017 season. Gregory played in 2018 then was suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy in Feb. 2019 and missed the entire 2019 season.
Gregory returned to the Cowboys in 2020 and had a breakout year in 2021 with a career-high 6.0 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.
Gregory Never Delivered After Massive Payday
The Denver Broncos delivered the payday of a lifetime for Gregory in March 2022, when they signed him to a five-year, $70 million contract with $28 million in guaranteed money.
Gregory only played six games for the Broncos in 2022 because of a knee injury. He played in four games with Denver in 2023 before he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he played 10 regular-season games and three postseason games, including an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
The Buccaneers are in desperate need of edge rushers after a season in which rookie outside linebacker YaYa Diaby led the team with 7.5 sacks and safety Antoine Winfield was second on the team with 6.0 sacks.
The Buccaneers released outside linebacker and two-time Super Bowl champion Shaquil Barrett on March 13. Barrett signed a free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins on March 18.
“The fact that Gregory is still playing in the NFL reflects positively on his commitment, as he incurred four substance-abuse suspensions in the 2010s,” wrote ProFootballRumors.com’s Sam Robinson. “And the NFL changing its policy toward a more lenient stance on recreational drugs. While he has moved past this chapter of his career, the former second-round pick will need to show he can remain healthy.”