A day after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost Sua Opeta to a torn ACL, the team is once again holding its breath after an injury at training camp.
This time the blow might be even more brutal.
Opeta was in line to fight for a starting job on the offensive line, but all indications were that Yaya Diaby would be locked into a starting role over on defense. Those plans were thrown into question when Diaby suffered a potentially significant injury at training camp on Thursday.
The extent of his injury wasn't immediately clear, but he needed to be carted off the field, and it didn’t appear to be a typical situation of caution.
Yaya Diaby carted off the field during Bucs practice. Looked like he wasn’t putting weight on his left leg. Potentially significant injury.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 1, 2024
Thankfully things didn't up being as bad as they potentially could have after the Bucs did some tests on his leg.
Yaya Diaby injury update after getting carted off field at Buccaneers training camp
When it happened, it looked like an ankle injury, although it's hard not to panic and think about an Achilles injury. While it was easy to jump to conclusions, the team revealed that it was indeed an ankle issue, but Diaby had avoided a serious injury.
Bucs insider Rick Stroud passed along an update that doesn't mean we're out of the woods but was at least some good news.
"X-rays on YaYa Diaby’s ankle were normal. He will undergo an MRI later today but the Bucs are optimistic and hoping he avoided serious injury when he tangled with Vita Vea," Stroud reported.
There's still a chance the injury impacts his preseason, and it would be wise for Tampa Bay to play it safe with Diaby especially considering what the roster depth behind him looks like. Linebacker is a deep position group, but it's a largely unproven one outside of Diaby and Lavonte David.
If Diaby misses time, it's best that it happens now and now when games matter. He's in line for a potential breakout season, and while the Bucs have proven the ability to rely on a next-man-up strategy, not having one of its key young players on defense isn't a great way for Tampa Bay to try and run things back this season.
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