Pewter Report’s Bucs Camp Diaries, a popular training camp feature on PewterReport.com, returns in 2023. We are excited to have two really good players to profile in veteran offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, the Bucs’ first-round pick.

Wirfs will offer up his perspective of Dave Canales’ new offense and learning to play left tackle this summer. Kancey will take readers through the experience of rookie life in his first training camp in Tampa Bay in the Bucs defense. Look for Wirfs’ and Kancey’s Camp Diaries each week throughout training camp and the preseason.

Calijah Kancey will face the pressure of being a first-round pick and a rookie starter in Todd Bowles’ defense this year. Bowles is expecting Kancey to not only aid the Bucs’ pass rush with his speed, athleticism and explosive first step, but also prove he can hold up against the run at just over 6-foot, 286 pounds. Every Tampa Bay defensive tackle who has made a Pro Bowl had a modest start with Warren Sapp, Gerald McCoy and Vita Vea all registering just three sacks as rookies. Can Kancey break the mold and become more of an impact pass rusher early on?

This Scheme Fits Me Like A Glove

By Calijah Kancey As Told To Scott Reynolds

This has been a fast summer. I remember that first day after being drafted and now going into training camp, it definitely went by fast. I’ve been having a great time training here and even trying to train down at home. It’s the same environment in Tampa, but just it’s a little slower than Miami.

It’s definitely been going by fast. It’s been kind of like a work summer for me, but also I needed to reset myself and get a little free time in. So I treated myself to a trip out the country in Turks & Caicos. It was so nice, and it was awesome to be able to go out there and just get my mind off football. Just relax and taking care of myself. It was a lot of fun out there.

It was awesome buying a house and a car for my mom this summer. That’s something when you are kid you have on your bulletin board or your vision board to where you want to take care of your mom. She’s the person that’s always been there from day one, and I think that’s a great feeling.

It was great that I was able to do that for her at an early age, a young age. It’s something that everyone wants to do. Luckily I was blessed and highly favored enough to do that, and I want to thank her making me the man I am today. She has always been there for me and supported me.

Getting Ready For My First Bucs Training Camp

It was a great experience to work with former Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy this offseason. I got a chance to talk with him and work with him when I was training for the draft out in Frisco, Texas. He was actually helping out with my defensive line work as a trainer.

For him to come out here and just break the game come down to me, and show me, and give me little hints and stuff like that on how it is to be a defensive lineman, and what to look for as a pro, and how to carry yourself – it was awesome. He’s a great resource for me. He’s been in my shoes as a first-round pick in Tampa Bay as a defensive tackle.

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: USA Today

Reporting day for the rookies at training camp was just like the first day of school. First you get your schedule. You’ve got to find out what class to go to and you get to see your friends, which are your teammates. We were off for a month. It wasn’t that long, but it kind of felt like a long time because you haven’t seen your teammates in a while.

So you see your teammates and just kind of go through the whole itinerary as being a pro for the first time at training camp. So I think it was just like the first day of school – you find out what class you’ve got. Oh, you’ve got a class with your buddy.

So then you kind of acclimated to the environment. I’m surrounded around a lot of great guys here, and the culture here is one of very brotherly love. The guys show lot of love and have brought me in with open arms. Everyone treats each other with respect.

In camp, I get to go against two guards that are going to help prepare me for game days. A big, strong man in Matt Feiler, and a quick, athletic guy in Cody Mauch. Going up against those guys in training camp will help me get better and I’ll help them get better. We’ll be ready to roll for Week 1.

My Role Will Be Expanding

This scheme fits me like a glove, honestly. Just being able to do a lot of movement and crossing – going left and going right. Just being able to move around a lot and add my speed to the defense, and having a defensive-minded head coach in Todd Bowles – I think that’s just awesome. I think everything is going the right way.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I definitely anticipate my role expanding a lot – just showing my peers and my teammates and my coaches that I’m the guy that they can depend on. I’m pretty sure that my role will increase in this system. I’ll say I’ll be able to help out my team a lot – more than just a three-technique. My personal goal for my rookie season is for me to help out as much as possible. I want to be able to be a resource for the team.

I’ve done a little exploring in Tampa so far. I will say that Tampa is not much different from where I grew up in Miami – just a lower slower pace. It’s definitely a nice city and I love the environment. I’m a soul food kind of guy, but I’m willing to try anything, so hit me up with your restaurant recommendations.

Hey, Buccaneers fans – I can’t wait to see you guys out there supporting us. I want to thank you guys a lot for supporting me through this whole process and being there for me. I also want to let you guys know that I’ll be making a lot of plays for you in our stadium and I also looking forward to meeting you all in training camp.

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