It's time for the Buccaneers to move on from Randy Gregory

Over 100 days ago, Randy Gregory signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That was the last time he's been heard from, as Gregory hasn't shown up to anything else this offseason and the clock seems like it's ticking.

Gregory skipped mandatory minicamp and didn't report to training camp when it opened at the end of July. This all comes amid a lawsuit he filed against the NFL and the Denver Broncos regarding fines from failing drug tests last season, but no one actually knows why he's ghosting the Buccaneers.

It's to the point where the Bucs might be better off cutting bait and letting Gregory go rather than hold onto him in the hopes he shows up.

Buccaneers need to release Randy Gregory if he continues to skip training camp

At this point it doesn't really matter why Gregory is skipping camp. His refusal to show up is one thing, but the lack of communication with the team is an entirely different problem. First impressions are everything, and Gregory hasn't exactly done a whole lot to get folks in the building on his side.

He's battled mental health issues in the past, which shouldn't be brushed off to the side here. It's the reason he's suing the league over his use of medical marijuana, as Gregory claims that he informed the Broncos about his need for it to help his anxiety.

Despite this, he was fined for failing drug tests which is the crux of his standoff with the NFL.

The Buccaneers seem to have been caught in the middle of this as collateral damage, but again, nobody is certain why Gregory isn't showing up. While he battles the Broncos over fines from last year, he's racking up quite the bill in Tampa Bay, having accrued over $250,000 in fines from skipping minicamp and training camp.

There's a very easy way for Gregory to communicate why he's missing camp, which doesn't excuse his asbence but at least explains it. That lack of effort is one of the main reasons the Bucs would be wise to cut their losses and just move on now.

Another reason is the vibes. The last thing a team trying to keep the energy from last year going needs is someone like Gregory souring the mood. It doesn't sound like he's had much interaction with the locker room, but leadership is in a position where it can't set a precedent that actions go unpunished. The Bucs have lost locker room vibes in the past, and miracuously held things together during a 1-6 slump last season, and keeping that intact should be of the utmost importanc.e

Perhaps above all else is the fact that Gregory has a roster spot earmarked that could go to someone more deserving. In theory, Gregory has the makings of being a sleeper free agent addition who makes an impact on defense. In reality he's nothing more than the whisper of a rumor around Bucs camp, while his roster spot could be better served by someone else.

Jose Ramirez was a late-round pick for the Bucs last year who hung around on the practice squad all season and is now getting a shot at making the roster this summer. He's a perfect mold of what Tampa Bay has looked for in its scrappy linebacking depth, and he could follow in the footsteps of K.J. Britt as an unassuming impact player.

Gregory's ahead of him on the depth chart, which feels wrong. Ramirez still has to prove himself at camp, but if he does then there's no reason a guy who doesn't show up deserves an automatic roster spot over someone who worked their way into earning it.

It's a bizarre situation that continues to get stranger with each new day, but it might be that the Randy Gregory experiment has run its course.

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