Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft pick Vita Vea has been diagnosed with a strained left calf and will be out a “couple of weeks,” Jenna Laine of ESPN reports.

Vea suffered the injury doing 11-on-11 drills during Sunday’s practice and had to be carted to the locker room.

“It was better than we thought,” said coach Dirk Koetter, who initially feared that it was a torn Achilles. “What Vita described when it happened was what you would think if a guy tore his Achilles, which would be year-long injury,” Koetter said. “Thankfully it was not that. It's a calf injury. He's going to be out for right now, but it's not what it could have been. So in that respect, we're better off than we thought we were.”

Vea attended Tuesday’s practice wearing a walking boot and riding a scooter. Although, he was able to put some weight on his injured left leg.

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The 12th overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Vea is expected to start on the interior of the Bucs’ defensive line alongside Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Vea is a run-stopping specialist should help shore up a Bucs run defense which was below average last season. And while he's not necessarily known for his pass rushing skills, he will also be tasked with improving a Bucs pass rush which was dead-last in the league in sacks last season.

With Vea out, the Bucs will likely take a closer look at Beau Allen, a free-agent signing from the Eagles this offseason, during the preseason.