Buccaneers CB Ryan Smith Suspended 4 Games for Violating NFL's PED Policy

The NFL suspended Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ryan Smith for the first four games of the 2019 regular season for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Smith appeared in 16 games for Tampa Bay last season, finishing with 38 combined tackles, six passes defended and one interception.

"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, per the Tampa Bay Times' Eduardo A. Encina. "We do extensive training and education for our players regarding the league's policies, but ultimately each individual is responsible for what they put in their bodies."

The Athletic's Greg Auman noted the suspension is a setback for Smith at a time when he was already slipping down the depth chart:

Tampa Bay was 26th in passing yards, allowing 259.4 per game. The team also finished 30th in pass defense DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), per Football Outsiders.

The Bucs partially addressed that need by selecting Sean Bunting and Jamel Dean in the second and third rounds of the 2019 NFL draft, respectively. The two rookies pushed Smith down the depth chart and missing the first quarter of the season won't help him regain his place in the secondary.

Smith's future with the Buccaneers could be in jeopardy. He's entering the final year of his contract and the team would save a little over $2 million while absorbing $148,040 in dead money, per Over the Cap.