TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without their backup cornerback for the first four weeks of the 2019 regular season.
Cornerback Ryan Smith has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the upcoming season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The 25-year-old from N.C. Central was entering his fourth season in the NFL, all with Tampa Bay. He recorded his first -- and so far his only -- interception in the NFL against the San Francisco 49ers back in November 2018.
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Smith is eligible to return to the team September 30, following the team's Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht released the following statement:
“We are disappointed that Ryan will be unavailable for the first four games of the season. We do extensive training and education for our players regarding the league’s polices, but ultimately each individual is responsible for what they put in their bodies.”
