Bucs general manager Jason Licht said plenty of newsworthy things during his recent appearance on WDAE 95.3 FM’s The Drive with Tom Krasniqi. From providing an update on how negotiations with left tackle Tristan Wirfs have been progressing to the status of AWOL outside linebacker Randy Gregory, there have been a couple of big storylines emerging a week into training camp.

Another storyline that may continue to develop is how defensive lineman Calijah Kancey fares in year two. Kancey, Tampa Bay’s 2023 first-round pick, put together a solid rookie season and did his best work in the playoffs. Now, he’s primed to make himself more of a household name in 2024 playing a starring role in an improved pass rush.

Bucs GM Jason Licht Sees DL Calijah Kancey Becoming “A Big Name”

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When asked about Calijah Kancey and the upside that he possesses, Jason Licht gushed about his potential.

“I think Calijah has a chance not to just be very good, he’s got a chance to be special,” Licht said. “A lot of it is just great DNA, just the athleticism he has is elite [as well as] the quickness.

Kancey’s quickness off the snap to get into the backfield is only part of the equation, though.

“You combine that with his tremendous work ethic and his desire to be really good and to be elite, I mean the guy doesn’t – he’s a non-stop worker as well,” Licht added. “He’s in here all the time and all summer he’s [been] working out. He’s got a chance to be very quickly here in the next year, hopefully, this year, very soon to be a big name in this league.”

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs are high on his ability to grow into a dominant player, as evidenced by what both Licht and head coach Todd Bowles said of the promising defensive lineman earlier this year at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

In last year’s draft class, the Bucs not only selected Kancey in the first round but selected his Pitt teammate and Bucs inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis in the fifth round. Dennis has had the unique perspective of growing together alongside Kancey in college and now in the NFL. He discussed on Monday where he has seen him develop the most on the football field going into this season.

“Definitely knowledge,” Dennis said. “His skillset to me I think has always been there. It’s just when to use his tools, and now with his knowledge, he knows the exact moment to use the tools. He knows how to win in certain ways based on the look he gets. His knowledge has definitely grown a crazy amount, but also he has Vita in the room and Vita tells him so much too. You’ll see a huge year out of him.”

Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea Have “No Ceiling” Along Bucs DL

Bucs DTs Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Head coach Todd Bowles has made it known that he hopes to see more out of the Bucs’ four-man pass rush this season.

Despite getting 48 sacks out of his defense last season, it was a collective effort of everyone chipping in. After nose tackle Vita Vea led the team in sacks with 6.5 in 2022, safety Anotine Winfield Jr. finished second last year with six sacks.

After getting sacks unconventionally in recent seasons, Bowles and Jason Licht want to see the defensive front get after the quarterback more traditionally, which would allow the team’s defensive mastermind to be even more creative. Calijah Kancey will be critical in doing so, as will Vea and the team’s stable of outside linebackers led by Yaya Diaby.

“We’ll have to see,” Licht said on the team implementing more of a four-man pass rush. “It’s going to be week-to-week, depending on the opponent. I know Todd [Bowles] likes to get very creative. I think upfront – a year under their belt with Yaya and Calijah, Vita looking more streamlined and moving quicker, our rookie Chris Braswell – you’re going to see a marked improvement in our pass rush this year.”

In terms of the defensive line, Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea will be looking to form a lethal 1-2 duo. With Vea slimming down and losing what Licht said was the weight of an “adolescent child” off his massive frame, there is no limit to what they can accomplish.

“There is no ceiling for the two of us and also the team,” Kancey said after Sunday’s practice. “As far as us two, we got a year down in our books and we know how each other plays, and we’re going to have to feed off each other. If I need to give more, he’ll tell me and if need to give more, I’ll tell him. That’s how we’re holding each other accountable as a team.”

Calijah Kancey Learning From Another Former Pro Bowl Bucs DL

The Bucs have hit on a handful of defensive tackles in the past 30 years.

From Warren Sapp, Gerald McCoy, and Vita Vea, Calijah Kancey is aiming to be next in the lineage. That is why it was noteworthy to see Kancey learning from McCoy at training camp on Sunday.

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo By: Cliff Welch/PR

“He was telling me [that] when I’m working a technique, just on my finish, I got through, but if I want to get a clean one, then the way he was showing me with the arm-over on the finish to help me get through clearer – that’s what he was talking to me about,” Kancey said.

As he looks to make a second-year jump, Kancey has made it clear that he has some big goals this season.

“I definitely want to be an All-Pro – Pro Bowl. I want to go double-digit sacks this year, and I want to contribute to the team.”