Tag: Randy Gregory

Bengals urged to add controversial free agent to save season

Should the Bengals take this risk in free agency?

The Cincinnati Bengals recently left their old habits behind by going after some big-name free agents, which was perhaps a sign that the seats are getting hot around the team.

But might they get controversial next?

Over at Bleacher Report, the scouting department there suggested one possible immediate fix for the defense — by highlighting edge rusher Randy Gregory as a guy they should pursue:

Randy Gregory is past his prime at 31 years old, but he still might be able to help. The Seahawks recently brought the veteran in for a visit. The talent has always been there for Gregory to make an impact—it’s a matter of him focusing on the field and showing up ready to play.

The embattled Gregory was a second-round pick in 2015 who has bounced around the league. He was most recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past summer, but his failure to show up to OTAs got him released.

Cincinnati does need some help rushing the passer since, for whatever reason, former first-rounder Myles Murphy can’t log notable snaps.

Maybe Gregory isn’t the right fit, but the idea is sound and the team is suddenly willing to take risks on big names in November.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Seahawks host veteran DE Randy Gregory on free-agent visit

Seahawks host veteran DE Randy Gregory on free-agent visit

The Seattle Seahawks hosted free-agent veteran defensive lineman Randy Gregory on a visit, according to multiple reports. General manager John Schneider has dealt with various injuries to his front seven this season, though Mike Macdonald’s defense is mostly healthy now. Gregory would be an intriguing gamble as a low-risk, high-reward addition.

The controversial Gregory has often been entangled in off-field disappointments. Most recently, the former Nebraska standout was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after no-showing at training camp. Gregory has been available on the open market ever since.

The Seahawks have shown a willingness to roster familiar veteran pass rushers on the practice squad this season. They momentarily had Tyus Bowser before he was plucked by the Miami Dolphins. Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde briefly overlapped with Gregory in Dallas.

Ascending pass rushers Derick Hall and Boye Mafe have performed admirably for the Seahawks this season. Dre’Mont Jones is also playing on the edge more frequently this year. Gregory would have a difficult time earning snaps in Seattle when all rushers are healthy.

Gregory has occasionally flashed high-end talent throughout his career, but he was also suspended for the entire 2017 and 2019 campaigns. Gregory played for the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers last season. He’d likely join the practice squad first if Seattle decides to add him.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Seahawks host ex-Broncos pass rusher on free agent visit

Former Broncos pass rusher Randy Gregory had a free agent visit with the Seahawks on Wednesday.

The Seattle Seahawks hosted former Denver Broncos pass rusher Randy Gregory on a free agent visit today, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson.

Gregory, 31, signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Broncos in 2022. He was healthy for six games in 2022 and totaled two sacks. Last season, Gregory recorded one sack in five games before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

Gregory signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this spring, but he was released this summer after never reporting to the team. Gregory also filed a lawsuit against the NFL and Broncos this summer for what he believes were discriminatory fines. Though the team was named in the lawsuit, it’s primarily a case against the NFL.

“I’m aware of what was written in the lawsuit, but it’s nothing that I had to deal with directly at all,” Denver coach Sean Payton said in June. “I think it is more — and even talking with his agent — I think it’s more of a league issue than necessarily a Broncos issue. Nonetheless, there was nothing that I ever dealt with.”

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, the Miami Dolphins designated wide receiver River Cracraft to return and the Los Angeles Chargers promoted center Sam Mustipher to the active roster on Wednesday.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

10 potential replacements for Parsons includes Randy Gregory among candidates

Potential replacements if the Cowboys need to look outside the organization for fresh help at the edge position. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Things might be getting testy for Dallas’ defense in the very near future. While the team performed much better in their 20-15 win over the New York Giants on Thursday night, one shouldn’t confuse the performance with a flag planting. Facing Daniel Jones was certainly part of the equation in the bounce-back defensive performance after being mauled for two straight weeks by Derek Carr and Lamar Jackson’s groups.

Jones missed several receivers with underthrows and the Giants receivers themselves dropped five passes. So despite limited the Giants to 1.1 yards a carry and separating themselves for a game from the historically bad run defense they had against Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry, there’s still plenty to improve on. The question is, will Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence avoid major injury to be part of the immediate solution?

Related: Watch video of Micah Parsons leaving airport with a limp

If not, Dallas will need to consider looking outside the organization for help, as their troops have already been depleted. After seeing Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, Jr. follow Dan Quinn to Washington during free agency, the Cowboys also lost third-year up-and-comer Sam Williams to an ACL injury this summer.

The club added Carl Lawson to the practice squad and he’s been elevated the last two games. Chauncey Golston is a fourth-year pro who hasn’t made much impact on the edge and second-year pro Tyrus Wheat hasn’t seen much defensive action in his career.

They may need to go outside the organization to get help.

One name in particular is Randy Gregory, who was drafted by Dallas back in 2015. Gregory had been suspended multiple times for running afoul of the league’s marijuana policy before those bylaws were lifted. He was recently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was released after an extended unexcused absence from the team.

Gregory famously spurned the Cowboys’ contract offer in 2022 free agency to sign a similar deal with the Denver Broncos.

Here’s a list of players who are available in free agency, after Yannick Ngakoue signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday.

  • Marquis Haynes
  • Shaq Lawson
  • Kemoko Turay
  • Austin Bryant
  • Randy Gregory
  • Rasheem Green
  • Shane Ray
  • Elerson Smith
  • Rasheem Green
  • Frank Clark

The club could also look through other club’s practice squads to see if there’s a player they’d like to poach.

Bucs officially cut Randy Gregory

The veteran outside linebacker and the Buccaneers officially part ways.

After months of questions and uncertainty, the Buccaneers finally cut outside linebacker Randy Gregory. According KPRC’s Aaron Wilson, Gregory is expected to retire.

Signed as a free agent in April, Gregory never reported to the team, missing both mandatory minicamp and training camp. To date, the Bucs still do not know why Gregory never showed up (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud):

Gregory has played seven years in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. Over his career, he has recorded 22 sacks and 10 forced fumbles. He missed the 2017 and 2019 seasons due to suspensions for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Gregory also sued the NFL over fines levied for testing positive for THC use.

As Gregory failed to report to camp, he did not count against the Bucs’ 90-man roster. The Bucs looked to add Gregory as a veteran presence to an outside linebacker group boasting just one player with more than three years experience in the NFL, 2019 fourth-round draft pick Anthony Nelson.

With Gregory no longer in the picture, the Bucs must either rely on their developmental edge rushers, such as Jose Ramirez and Markees Watts, to rise to the occasion or seek free agent help. There are few viable free agent edge defenders available, including Yannick Ngakoue and Charles Harris. Some players may come available during team cuts to the final 53-man roster.

Ex-Broncos pass rusher cut by Bucs after not reporting to team

The Bucs are moving on from ex-Broncos pass rusher Randy Gregory after he failed to report for training camp and preseason.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are moving on from a former Denver Broncos pass rusher.

The Bucs will release Randy Gregory this week, according to the team’s preseason broadcast team (via WFLA-TV in Tampa). Gregory, 31, signed a one-year, $3 million deal this spring, but he did not report for training camp this month. Tampa Bay still doesn’t know why he didn’t report.

“I’ll never find out, but I wish him the best and we’ll move on from there,” coach Todd Bowles said Sunday. “Can’t miss what you never had.”

Gregory signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Broncos in 2022. He totaled three sacks in 10 healthy games with Denver before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign. After finishing last season in San Francisco, Gregory signed with the Bucs this spring.

Gregory filed a lawsuit against the NFL this summer, claiming he received discriminatory fines from the league during his time with the Broncos. Gregory will now become a free agent seeking his fourth team in two years.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Former Husker defensive end fails to report to Tampa Bay training camp

Randy Gregory did not report to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp earlier this week.

A former Nebraska defensive end has failed to report to NFL training camp. Randy Gregory did not report to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp earlier this week.

Head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Gregory has been placed on the team’s Did Not Report List.

“We’re gonna talk about the players that are here. He’s not here. We’ll deal with that internally. And obviously he’s on the do not report list and we’ll go from there.”

ESPN reported back in April that Gregory signed a deal worth a base salary of $3 million, with incentives that could escalate the contract to $5 million. Gregory signed with the Bucs after spending part of the 2023 season with the San Francisco 49ers.

Gregory played for Nebraska for only two seasons. In 24 games during the 2013 and 2014 seasons as a Husker, he recorded 120 total tackles, 29.0 tackles for loss, and 17.5 sacks.

He was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten member and a third-team All-American in 2014. The Dallas Cowboys selected the Jacksonville native in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

Bucs OLB Randy Gregory a no-show at training camp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Randy Gregory didn’t show up for training camp with the rest of his teammates Tuesday

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers welcomed players back to One Buc Place on Tuesday as training camp gets underway for the 2024 season, and one of their new offseason additions still wasn’t there.

Veteran outside linebacker Randy Gregory was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list after he did not show up for camp with the rest of his teammates Tuesday, the team announced.

Gregory was also absent from the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier in the offseason.

After the Bucs parted ways with Shaq Barrett earlier this year, they signed Gregory to a one-year deal in hopes he would provide some of the experience that left the building with Barrett’s departure.

Instead, it looks like the Bucs will have to roll with what they have elsewhere at outside linebacker, and wonder whether or not Gregory will ever wear a Tampa Bay uniform at this point.

[lawrence-related id=87924]

What’s going on with Randy Gregory?

After signing a one-year deal with the Bucs this offseason, the veteran outside linebacker hasn’t shown up for mandatory minicamp

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added some valuable experience to their outside linebacker group earlier this offseason when they signed veteran free agent Randy Gregory to a one-year deal.

Or did they?

Gregory has been absent from the team’s mandatory minicamp this week, and it doesn’t sound like Bucs head coach Todd Bowles is terribly thrilled about it.

“I’m just going to coach the guys that are here, like I said, as it goes on,” Bowles said when asked about Gregory’s absence following Wednesday’s practice. “We’re fine with the guys we have here.”

Bowles was asked a follow-up question about whether or not he’s spoken with Gregory, and he reiterated a similar response.

“I’m going to coach the guys that we have here and deal with that when we have to deal with it,” Bowles said.

Since being reinstated from a suspension in 2020, Gregory has avoided any of the off-field issues that he dealt with earlier in his career. Gregory did recently file a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, according to the Denver Post, but there’s no indication that his absence from minicamp is related.

Jay Recher and Zac Blobner of Tampa’s WDAE opined this week that Gregory’s time in Tampa Bay might be over before it even begins:

We’ll see where this goes from here.

[lawrence-related id=86894]

Bucs OLB Randy Gregory has unexcused absence from minicamp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Randy Gregory was not present for Tuesday’s mandatory minicamp practice

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their mandatory minicamp underway Tuesday at One Buc Place, and one of their newest additions was not in attendance.

Outside linebacker Randy Gregory was not present for Tuesday’s practice, and Bucs head coach Todd Bowles confirmed to the media that his absence was not excused.

“He wasn’t out here,” Bowles said. “He has an unexcused absence. We’ll deal with it.”

Gregory signed a one-year deal with the Bucs this offseason, and is expected to help replace some of the experience that Tampa Bay defense lost at the position with the departure of Shaq Barrett.

We’ll see if Gregory shows up for practice later this week, and how the team chooses to deal with his unexcused absence.

[lawrence-related id=87308]