It’s not surprising news, but it’s news nonetheless: The Bucs will be picking up the fifth-year option on the rookie contract of defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, keeping him under contract through 2027, Pewter Report has learned. Kancey will earn $14.475 million in 2027.

Kancey, the Bucs’ first-round pick in the 2023 Draft, has shown plenty of pass rushing promise. Playing next to two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea, Kancey has transformed Tampa Bay’s pass rush – when he’s on the field. He had a calf injury delay his development as a rookie in 2023, as he missed training camp and the preseason, came back briefly for his NFL debut during the Bucs’ regular season opener and then missed the next three games.

But upon his return, Kancey quickly showed why he was worthy of being the No. 19 overall pick in the draft. He earned his first career sack against Jared Goff and the Lions in his first game back and went on to finish the season with four sacks, 45 total pressures and 10 tackles for loss.

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

Things really began to kick off for him during that year’s playoff run, too, as he had 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss over two games. He went on to finish 10th in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Another calf injury cost Kancey the first five games of the 2024 season, but that didn’t stop him from coming back and racking up a team-high 7.5 sacks despite only playing 12 games. He had 40 total pressures and 11 tackles for loss to go with the quarterback takedowns, and he seemed primed for a big Year 3 in 2025.

Only Kancey’s Year 3 was pretty much put to a stop before it really began. He tore a pectoral muscle in Tampa Bay’s Week 2 win at Houston, and while he ultimately made it back for Week 18, he was limited to three games overall.

Nonetheless, the Bucs have chosen to exercise that fifth-year option and will hope to get a look at a fully healthy Calijah Kancey in 2026 – and again in 2027.

Bucs Need A Healthy Calijah Kancey In 2026 And Beyond

As much as there is to like about Calijah Kancey – 11.5 sacks and 93 total pressures in 29 career games and 22 tackles for loss to go with them – health remains the biggest concern for the 25-year-old. Freak injuries or not, two calf issues and a torn pec have cost him a whole lot of football throughout the first three years of his career.

Through three seasons, Kancey has played in 29 games for the Bucs and missed 22. That’s tough to deal with, especially with Tampa Bay often struggling to get much out of its four-man pass rush. General manager Jason Licht and his staff have clearly seen enough promise to pick up that fifth-year option – they declined Joe Tryon-Shoyinka’s the last time they were faced with such a decision on a first-round pick – but they’ll want to see Kancey have a healthy season or two before they can factor him into future plans.

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

What’s working in Kancey’s favor is his youth. Although he missed 22 games over his first three years in the NFL, those were his age-22, age-23 and age-24 seasons. If he can stay healthy and produce in his age-25 season, perhaps the Bucs look to ink him to an extension before his age-26 campaign.

But before Licht and Co. can factor Kancey into their long-term plans – especially with Vita Vea at age 31 and entering a contract year – they really need him to make it through a season. We’ll see if that happens in 2026, but we now know he’ll have 2027 to make his case as well.