Buccaneers release outside linebacker under bizarre circumstances

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and disgruntled pass rusher Randy Gregory have reached an agreement under which the team will release the outside linebacker, the team announced Saturday. Gregory's release ends a bizarre saga between the two sides.

Gregory signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in the offseason worth up to $5 million. The contract had a base salary of $3 million and could rise to $5 million if Gregory meets his bonuses. Despite signing the contract, Gregory did not show up when the players reported for training camp.

In total, Gregory missed 24 days of training camp, three mandatory minicamp practices before training camp began, and the team's first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The two sides agreed to release Gregory before the team's second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Further complicating the situation – and potentially a reason for Gregory's absence from Buccaneers camp – is the lawsuit Gregory is currently pending against the NFL and his former team, the Denver Broncos. In the lawsuit, Gregory alleges discrimination because both the league and the Broncos denied him the right to take a drug called dronabinol, which is prescribed to treat social anxiety and post-traumatic stress.

Ultimately, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and the team were never given a specific reason why Gregory didn't show up for training camp. Bowles said, “I'll never find out, but I wish him the best and we'll see… You can't miss what you never had.”