The U.S. Navy has denied recent graduate Cameron Kinley a waiver that would have delayed his commission and allowed the cornerback a chance to compete for a spot with the Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers.
After serving as Navy team captain and class president in his senior year, Kinley went undrafted in April's NFL Draft. The Bucs signed the defensive back as a free agent. Kinley was in Tampa for rookie minicamp but was not present for two weeks of voluntary OTA workouts while waiting for a decision on the waiver.
The request is generally granted for service academy graduates vying for a spot on an NFL roster and goes against recent precedent that has seen Army linebacker Jon Rhattigan (Seahawks) and Air Force graduates Nolan Laufenberg (Broncos) and George Silvanic (Rams) granted waivers, according to Kinley's agent, Ryan Williams-Jenkins.