Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie cornerback Cameron Kinley has been granted his request to play in the NFL Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced.
Austin announced in a statement that he approved a plan by the Department of the Navy to enlist Kinley in the Inactive Ready Reserve "for the duration of his football career." That was a reversal of a previous decision by Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas W. Harker that Kinley could not delay his commission.
See you at training camp, @ck3thethrill pic.twitter.com/r2tNQ6ckBr
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 7, 2021
The Bucs signed Kinley as an undrafted free agent in May.
"Today we were informed by the office of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III that Cameron Kinley has been granted permission to delay his commission to the United States Navy in order to pursue an opportunity to play in the National Football League," said Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht. "We are thrilled for Cameron and very much appreciate the Pentagon's willingness to work with him so that he may compete at training camp for a chance to earn a spot on our roster."
According to the Bucs, Kinley is one of 10 cornerbacks on the current camp roster. He will likely be competing for one of five or six spots at that position on the regular-season 53-man roster. He could also earn a spot on the Buccaneers' practice squad.
The Bucs will begin training camp practices on July 25.
