Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ryan Smith has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.
- The Bucs will be without backup CB Ryan Smith for the first four games of the 2019 season
- The first game Smith will be eligible to play in will be October 6 at New Orleans
- Smith's roster spot could be in jeopardy, as the team drafted defensive backs with three of their first four selections in the 2019 NFL Draft
Smith is eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the team Sept. 30, after Tampa Bay’s Week 4 game at the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams.
“We are disappointed that Ryan will be unavailable for the first four games of the season,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said in a statement. “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.”
Smith is entering his fourth NFL season with the Buccaneers. He was a fourth-round pick in 2016 by Tampa Bay.