Buccaneers released Randy Gregory in the middle of the team's preseason broadcast

Randy Gregory finally made an appearance during a Tampa Bay BUccaneers preseason game, but not the way any player wants to.

Gregory has been AWOL ever since signing his free agent contract with the Bucs back in April, something the team officially ran out of patience with on Saturday. After accruing about as much in fines as the Bucs were going to pay him to play, Gregory was released after the two sides reached an agreement to part ways.

It's more bizarre than anything else, as Gregory has been a rumor around Bucs camp for the last five months after skipping every single opportunity to report. Now, his time with the team comes to an end, and the way it did might be the most noticeable thing about his tenure.

Bucs dropped the hammer on Randy Gregory in the middle of a preseason broadcast

His release was a long time coming, but the team paid him about as much respect as he's shown them. During the team's preseason game on Saturday night, the broadcast announced that the Buccaneers had reached an agreement to release Gregory this week.

Chris Myers delivered the news, which is a rather unorthodox way for a roster move to be made but strangely feels fitting for the roller coaster Gregory took the team on these past few months.

“The Bucs have reached an agreement with Randy Gregory and his agent, and they plan on releasing him this week,” Chris Meyers reported during the team's game against the Jaguars. “He was added as they tried to improve the pass rush and edge rush room and it just hasn't worked out, so they reached an agreement that he will be released.”

The Bucs didn't officially announce the news, but Tampa Bay Times insider Rick Stroud backed up the report when it dropped.

Gregory skipped OTAs and failed to report for training camp at the end of July. Todd Bowles refused to stick his neck out for Gregory and got so sick of being asked about him that he tersely shut down any further questions at the beginning of the month.

Losing Gregory really doesn't impact the Bucs outside of it opening up a roster spot at a position of need. That sounds worse than it actually is, as news of Gregory's release timed up with an amazing game by Jose Ramirez.

Gregory's reasons for ghosting the Bucs remain unclear, as nobody has heard from him since he signed his contract. He's suing the NFL and the Denver Broncos over fines he thinks he shouldn't have to pay after tipping both parties off to his medical marijuana use to help with his anxiety and mental health.

Whatever the reason was, he's not longer the Bucs problem and hopefully the flipside of the situation is someone like Ramirez stepping up to make it worth Tampa Bay's while.

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