MRI on knee shows Bucs rookie DT Vita Vea's ACL intact

An MRI performed Monday on Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft pick Vita Vea's knee showed his ACL was intact, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The team had feared that the rookie defensive tackle had torn his ACL in Sunday's 37-34 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

"It happened on the first play of the fourth quarter," coach Dirk Koetter said. "There was some concern about it and Vita had an MRI this morning and it came back [negative]. The first MRI in history to come back with positive news. He did not have the injury that they feared he might have had. We'll see how he is on Wednesday, but he was moving around pretty good when I saw him today and it was positive news."

Vea, selected 12th overall by the Buccaneers in the 2018 draft, didn't make his season debut until Week 4 against the Chicago Bears because of a strained calf muscle. 

He has two tackles in four games (two starts) this season.