Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is starting to break out. After missing the team’s first five games this season, Tampa Bay’s 2023 first-round pick is healthy and has improved since his promising rookie year.

With Kancey paired next to Vita Vea, the team has arguably the best 1-2 punch at defensive tackle in the NFL. With 11 sacks between them, it’s hard to argue the results. Still, head coach Todd Bowles believes he is only scratching the surface of his potential.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles On Calijah Kancey: “When He Uses His Hands He’s Unstoppable”

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and Giants QB Tommy DeVito – Photo by: USA Today

Calijah Kancey came into this year with big expectations.

After recording 26 total tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for a loss, and four sacks in his rookie year, the Bucs hoped he would take the next step in his development as a pass-rusher in his sophomore campaign.

After missing the beginning of the season with a calf injury – similar to the one he had as a rookie – there was concern that he would not hit his ceiling with injuries getting in the way. After missing all that time, he was eager to get back on the field and make up for it.

“I was very desperate to play football and ready to get back out there,” Kancey said about his mindset during his recovery process. “I feel like I had done everything to get back to who I was and just… I wouldn’t even say it was knocking off the rust, but it was more so just getting back to what I was doing and playing at that elite level.”

Kancey has quelled the injury concerns surrounding him and after playing in just six games, he is playing at a high level, especially from a pass-rushing standpoint. At 6-foot and 280 pounds, Kancey has an explosive first step and uses it to get into the backfield to take down opposing quarterbacks. Head coach Todd Bowles weighed in on how he can improve to get even better and reach new heights.

“It’s always fundamentals for me down there with his technique,” Bowles said. “We know he’s fast, we know he’s strong but when he uses his hands he’s unstoppable. When he doesn’t use his hands, he gets stuck a little bit. He’s using his hands quite a bit right now getting in the backfield and he’s really just unlocking his potential. We look for more things to happen for him every week.”

During the Bucs’ 30-7 win over the Giants, Kancey made things happen early, sacking quarterback Tommy DeVito on a third-and-8 in the first quarter.

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

In doing so, Kancey recorded his fifth sack of the season, setting a new career high. All around, his numbers have improved, as he has 19 total tackles, eight quarterback hits, and eight tackles for a loss in just six games. He has now recorded sacks in each of the last three games, and he has quickly developed a reputation as one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the league.

Don’t believe it?

Kancey is tied for the fourth-most sacks by a defensive tackle this season, behind some big names (including his teammate):

Giants DT Dexter Lawrence: 9 sacks
Bucs DT Vita Vea: 6 sacks
Jets DT Quinnen Williams: 6 sacks
Rams DT Braden Fiske: six sacks
Saints DT Bryan Bresee: 5.5 sacks
Bucs DT Calijah Kancey: 5 sacks
Steelers DT Cameron Heyward: 5 sacks
Texans DT Tim Settle Jr.: 5 sacks
Ravens DT Nnamdi Madubuike: 5 sacks
Eagles DT Milton Williams: 5 sacks
Rams DT Kobie Turner: 5 sacks

Calijah Kancey, Bucs’ Defense Developing A “Killer Instinct”

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today

Playing the Giants was the definition of a “get well” game for the Bucs, and after once lacking a “killer instinct” on defense, signs of it were on display at MetLife Stadium. Yes, it was against Tommy DeVito and a dead-last scoring offense that mustered just seven points on the afternoon, but that should not take away from the improvement Todd Bowles’ unit showed compared to recent weeks.

One could sense the renewed energy and fire the group played with, and after weeks of communication lapses and missed tackles, everything came together. Tampa Bay has beaten themselves with costly defensive miscues at times this year, but with the arrow trending back upward, guys like Calijah Kancey want to feed off it and get stops for the offense.

“It’s really just finishing,” Kancey said on the defense developing a killer instinct. “Getting ahead on guys and not letting our foot off the gas pedal. Putting the fork to their necks, and as far as the defense, going out there and getting three-and-outs, turnovers and takeaways. Having fun and flying around and the offense is running the ball and putting up points. We want to keep them out there on offense but we want to get off the field on defense.”

The Bucs’ next challenge will come in facing the Panthers on the road in a NFC South divisional matchup. It is a big game Tampa Bay cannot afford to lose, and Calijah Kancey and the rest of the team will look to keep up their winning ways by keeping their foot on the pedal and finishing games down the stretch.