It took less than a week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get their big injury scare of the offseason.
First round pick Calijah Kancey was carted off the practice field earlier this week after sustaining a leg injury. It's that sort of vivid visual mixed with vague details that creates chaos and panic this time of the year.
It's worth pointing out that carts have a pretty high usage rate at training camps. Not every appearance indicates something serious, but it's usually never a great sign to see one come out.
Kancey was initially diagnosed with a calf injury but was scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine who serious the injury was. While it was jarring to se Kancey get carted off, there was a general lack of panic among coaches that gave us our first inkling that things might not be as serious as they seemed.
An MRI on Tuesday went a step further in qwuelling fears.
Calijah Kancey injury update: Bucs reveal MRI results and what's next
Thankfully it appears that Kancey's injury isn't nearly as bad as it initially seemed. The Bucs gave an update on Tuesday that outlined the seriousness of the injury and what the next steps are expected to be as he works his way back.
"Bucs first-round pick Calijah Kancey underwent an MRI on his calf and it showed nothing serious," Stroudn reported on Tuesday. "The Bucs may hold him out for a while to get him ready for the regular season."
Kancey has already gone through quite a journey since being drafted No. 19 overall back in April. Not many mock drafts were eying Kancey to Tampa Bay, and the pick was a masterclass in front office smokescreening.
While he has a ton of talent, and drew comparisons to Aaron Donald on draft night, he's gone through an official coronation with the Bucs when it comes to feeling the heat of haters. Kancey was picked out as a potential bust this season, even though he hadn't played a down yet.
That flies in the face of what we've been hearing from people actually paying attention to the Bucs, who have had nothing but amazing things to say about the rookie. It's those high marks this early in his tenure that has everyone hoping this injury is more of a blip on the radar than anything that holds him back from a stellar first season.