If we’re looking for an early storyline for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, the team’s resilience through the first 2 games and 2 fourth quarter comebacks comes first.
After that, it’s injuries.
The latest one could be a crushing blow, with 2023 first round pick and up and coming interior defensive lineman Calijah Kancey out for the season with a torn pec suffered in a Week 2 Monday Night Football win over the Houston Texans on September 15.
“Sources: Bucs DT Calijah Kancey will miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury suffered on Monday night vs. the Texans,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on September 16. “The former first-round pick is a huge piece of Tampa’s defense.”
“An MRI just now confirmed #Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey tore his pec last night, source says,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “He will need surgery and his season is over.”
Kancey, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, was scheduled to have surgery on Friday.
While Kancey is out for the season, the Buccaneers should get back a pair of key figures in the coming weeks with 3-time NFL All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chris Godwin both expected to return to the lineup soon.
Injuries Have Been Constant Issue For Kancey
Through 3 seasons, the overarching story of Kancey’s career has been his struggle to stay healthy. When he’s been on the field, he’s been one of the NFL’s elite players at his position.
In 2023, Kancey missed 3 games due to a calf strain. In 2024, Kancey led the Buccaneers with 7.5 sacks despite missing 5 games due to a calf injury, with 6.5 sacks over the final 9 games of the regular season. Through his first 2 seasons, Kancey has 11.5 sacks.
Kancey made a bold declaration this offseason about what he might be able to achieve if he was fully healthy for a full season.
“I think you would be looking at the (NFL) sack leader,” Kancey told Buccaneers.com’s Brianna Dix in April.
In the last 20 years, only one interior defensive lineman has led the NFL in sacks, with former Los Angeles Rams star, 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and fellow Pitt product Aaron Donald’s 20.5 sacks in 2017.
Kancey-Vea Could Be NFL’s Elite Interior DL Combo
When Kancey is paired with 2-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea on the interior defensive line, there’s little offensive lines can do to stop them. It’s not far-fetched to see them having the same impact as Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis have made on the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Vea was second on the Buccaneers with 7.0 sacks in 16 games in 2024 and is widely thought of as one of the toughest interior defensive line matchups in the NFL.
“It was more so me making sure that I am ready when the beginning of the season comes and not missing those five games that I did the first two seasons,” Kancey told Dix. “Really, just making sure that I am doing everything to not miss those games but also help the team to dominate at a high level.”
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