The Buccaneers signed veteran outside linebacker Randy Gregory on April 4. The move comes at a cost to Tampa Bay, who is looking to add experience to a very young group of pass rushers and edge defenders.
However, Gregory did not appear at any Buccaneers practices this offseason other than to sign his one-year, $3 million contract. He missed the team’s voluntary OTAs and missed the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp without a valid excuse. As a result, Gregory was fined more than $100,000.
So, will Gregory show up to training camp next week? Players report to camp on Tuesday, July 23, with the first practice being the following day.
In an interview with Scott Reynolds of The Pewter Report, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles seemed nonchalant about Gregory’s situation.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Bowles said. “We don’t know. Guys have personal issues in the offseason and they have to make decisions. We have to make decisions. So we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Bowles employs a highly complex and sophisticated defensive scheme, even though the 32-year-old Gregory has seven years of experience in the league. Bowles, the Buccaneers’ head coach and defensive play-caller, emphasized that at this point, Gregory is way behind the team’s other outside linebackers.
“You can’t just come here and play,” Bowles said. “You can’t just come here and play.”
Buccaneers OLB Randy Gregory and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Reynolds said, Buccaneers waive Gregory, move on from him In a recent Pewterpulse video, Gregory Who is suing the NFL? And with a history of personal issues and him not participating in camp on Tuesday, it’s expected Tampa Bay will part ways with him, ending his Buccaneers career before it even began.
Bowles is very pleased with the talent of the young players the team has assembled at outside linebacker. Just weeks after signing Gregory, the Buccaneers acquired Alabama pass rusher Chris Braswell with a second-round pick. Additionally, veterans Joe Tryon Soyinka and Anthony Nelson are in the final years of their contracts and will be motivated to perform well in 2024. The Buccaneers also have three talented second-year players in starter Yaya Diaby, who was Tampa Bay’s top football last year, and backups Marquise Watts and Jose Ramirez.
“It’s a really good group and they’re playing really well,” Bowles said. “I don’t think it’s all about the sacks. If we can pressure them, disrupt them, get on the edge and make run plays, we’ll be OK. There aren’t many guys that can get double-digit sacks. We might get a sack, but we have guys that get run over 100 times. We don’t want to leave holes in that sense. We like this group. They’re young. They’re all strong, and we’re excited to watch them grow together.”
Randy Gregory may not show up, but will Tristan Wirfs report to camp?
Buccaneers LT Tristan Wirfs, TE Ko Kieft and SS Kayvon Meriweather – Photo: Cliff Welch/PR
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles may be without his starting left tackle at the start of training camp, but he expects Tristan Wirfs to be the backup. Wirfs, who is seeking a multi-year contract extension, missed voluntary OTAs and did not participate in the team’s mandatory minicamp in June.
But he showed up. In fact, Wirfs, now playing on his fifth-year option, is regularly participating in the team’s strength-and-conditioning program at One Buccaneer Place. He’s now a “hold-in” rather than a “hold-out.” The difference is that he’ll watch practices and do mental work while general manager Jason Licht and assistant GM Mike Greenberg continue contract negotiations with Wirfs’ agent.
Bowles isn’t worried about whether Wirfs’ hold will last just a few days into camp or a week until a new contract is signed.
“No, I’ve been in the business a long time and I’ve seen how both sides of the business work,” Bowles said. “As a former player I understand the player side, I understand the coaching side and I understand the business side. Those things will work themselves out. Of course, we love Tristan. We think highly of him. But those things have to work themselves out. Of course, we pay Mike.” [Evans]I paid Winn (Antoine Winfield Jr.), I paid Baker. [Mayfield].Lavonte [David] I came back and got some.
“It happens every year with teams that have a cap situation. Some teams get paid right away, some teams have to wait a little bit, but it’s going to happen eventually. And it’s all just a matter of figuring it out and I understand that and how it all fits together, figure that part out and go from there. That’s all I can do as a coach. Hopefully we can figure it out quickly and go from there and be ready to play.”
