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Bucs First-Round Pick Carted Off Field During Training Camp

One of the newest Buccaneers was injured early on in Sunday's practice.

Dustin Lewis

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are continuing to progress through training camp. One of the early standouts among the team's defensive line has been rookie first-round pick Calijah Kancey.

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Unfortunately, Kancey suffered a non-contact injury early in on in the Buccaneers' practice on Sunday while going through drills with the rest of his position group. He attempted to cut around a tackling dummy before coming up hobbling while grabbing at his right calf.

Kancey gingerly took a few steps and spoke with a trainer for a couple of minutes after going down. He was ultimately carted off the field back to the team's facility and the exact severity of the injury is unknown at this time. It's possible this could just be a cramp.

This certainly isn't what the Buccaneers wanted to see early in camp, especially during the team's first practice in pads this preseason. Hopefully, this is just the heat getting to Kancey or a minor strain that he'll be able to shake off quickly.

The former Pittsburgh star has already earned rave reviews from two veterans on both sides of the ball, center Ryan Jensen and nose guard Vita Vea. Kancey has an impressive combination of athleticism and physicality.

Kancey recorded 91 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, one forced fumble, and three pass deflections during his time with the Panthers. He concluded his college career as a unanimous All-American and the ACC's Defensive Player of the Year while being voted to the conference's first-team in back-to-back seasons.

UPDATE 10:43 AM:

Todd Bowles says Kancey has been diagnosed with a calf strain and will undergo an MRI for additional testing.

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Dustin Lewis
DUSTIN LEWIS

Lewis joined BucsGameday when it was founded in 2022. He's also the Editor-In-Chief of NoleGameday. A graduate of Florida State, Lewis has worked for NG since 2016.