Buccaneers 1st-round pick Calijah Kancey strains right calf during training camp drill

Published Jul. 30, 2023 5:03 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — First-round draft pick Calijah Kancey of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was carted off the practice field Sunday with what coach Todd Bowles described as a right calf strain.

“We’ll get an MRI and see where it’s at,” said Bowles, who did not speculate on the severity of the injury suffered when the defensive tackle made a sharp turn during a training camp drill.

Kancey was the 19th overall pick in the draft and is expected to be an immediate starter after drawing comparisons in college to another former Pitt standout, three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

The injury occurred on the fourth day of camp with the Bucs.

“He’s adapting to the scheme, mentally, and then he was adding his physical part to it,” Bowles said. “He was putting it together quicker than normal rookies do. Hopefully it’s not that bad and he can get back.”

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was also carted off the field on Thursday with a calf strain. Bengals coach Zac Taylor has said that Burrow will be out “several weeks.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL