Bucs head coach Todd Bowles provided some unfortunate clarity with regards to the team’s injury report on Friday. Bowles updated the media regarding the status of starting defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (calf) as well as starting cornerback Carlton Davis III (toe), ruling both players out for Sunday’s home opener against the Chicago Bears. Rookie linebacker SirVocea Dennis has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Kancey will be replaced by a rotation of Greg Gaines, Mike Greene and Will Gholston. While all three had solid games in run defense on Sunday in Minnesota, none can replace the pass rush potential that caused the Bucs to select Kancey in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Kancey showed off that potential in the limited action he saw last week before re-aggravating his calf injury, racking up two pressures and a quarterback hit in just 11 snaps. Additionally, none of those players have the speed and athletic ability Kancey has to help chase around the extremely mobile Bears quarterback Justin Fields.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Zyon McCollum will most likely step in for Davis as the starting outside cornerback opposite Jamel Dean. McCollum is in just his second year in the NFL but has already logged three starts as an outside corner to his resume. McCollum’s performance in those games left a lot to be desired.

His 46.3 Pro Football Focus grade for last year illustrates the struggles he had in coverage as well in his run defense assignments. McCollum will get an opportunity to hopefully show he has learned from the rough rookie season on Sunday against D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool.

“He’s ready to play,” Bowles said. “We’ve got all the confidence in the world in him. He had a great summer, he had a great spring. He’s practicing [well]. We don’t have a problem playing him.”

B0wles also commented on the status of rookie slot cornerback Christian Izien who has been in the NFL’s concussion protocol all week. Tampa Bay’s head coach said Izien has a chance to clear the concussion protocol and be available on Sunday. Izien participated in a non-contact jersey yesterday but shed the black marker for a regular practice jersey today.

“He’s got to pass a few tests,” Bowles said. “We’ll see. We’re hopeful.”

If Izien is not able to go the Bucs would most likely turn to Dee Dalaney as first man up for the slot. Delaney has the most experience in the role as he has been with the Bucs since 2021 filling in at different times in that position. Delaney is a capable defender who has shown he can do his job in the slot well enough to function in Bowles’ aggressive defense.

Bears Injury Report For Bucs Game

We previously reported that the Bears placed cornerback Kyler Gordon on Injured Reserve yesterday ensuring he will be out for the Sunday tilt with the Bucs. Fellow defensive back Josh Blackwell was noted as a limited participant due to a hamstring injury.