Keionte Scott's first week with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came with a short-term setback, but not one that is expected to carry into the most important part of the offseason.
The former Miami defensive back opened Buccaneers rookie minicamp with a cast on his left wrist after having a plate removed from an injury that bothered him late in the Hurricanes' College Football Playoff run. Scott said the cast is expected to come off in 10 days and that he expects to be ready for training camp. The timing keeps him from getting a full on-field start at rookie camp, but it also gives him time to recover before Tampa Bay moves deeper into its offseason program.
The Buccaneers selected Scott in the fourth round with the No. 116 overall pick, making him the second Miami defender Tampa Bay drafted in 2026 after taking Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 15.
Keionte Scott begins rookie camp with a cast on his left wrist. He just got a plate removed and the cast comes off in 10 days. He said his wrist was bothering him throughout the playoffs and he had it operated on before the combine. He expects to be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/IOhLuXgdZG
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) May 8, 2026
Former Miami DB Keionte Scott opens Bucs rookie camp with wrist cast
Scott said the wrist issue had bothered him during the season and continued through the playoff stretch. He had surgery before the NFL scouting combine and said he had the plate removed as part of the recovery process. He described himself as being on "the better side of it" now, with the cast expected to come off soon.
Scott returned from a late-season foot injury for the College Football Playoff opener against Texas A&M and finished with 10 tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He followed that with a 72-yard interception return for a touchdown and four tackles against Ohio State.
The wrist injury was not enough to keep Scott from becoming one of Miami's most important defensive players during its national title run. That's good news for Bucs fans who might be concerned about some of the recent injury history surrounding Scott. But, luckily for the Tampa Bay faithful, Scott proved that he can still play to his full potential even when he isn't 100%.
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