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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be without their first-round pick for a month.
Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, who the Buccaneers drafted in the first round of April’s NFL draft, is expected to miss four weeks because of a calf injury, per ESPN. There is hope Kancey will be ready to go by Week 1 when Tampa Bay travels to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.
Kancey sustained a calf injury during drills earlier this week in practice and was carted off the field.
“We’ll get an MRI and see where it’s at,” coach Todd Bowles said on Sunday. “He’s adapting to the scheme, mentally, and then he was adding his physical part to it. He was putting it together quicker than normal rookies do. Hopefully it’s not that bad and he can get back.”
The Bucs drafted Kancey with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of Pittsburgh. The rookie is expected to join Vita Vea along Tampa Bay’s starting defensive line.
Kancey was one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 draft. He was a unanimous 2022 All-American and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year after leading Pittsburgh with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 starts.
Contributing: The Associated Press
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.
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