Bucs head coach Todd Bowles didn’t rule out playing defensive tackle Calijah Kancey in the team’s season opener this week at Minnesota despite Tampa Bay’s first-round pick missing practice once again on Wednesday. Kancey has been sidelined since July 30 after suffering a calf strain and missed the majority of training camp and the entire preseason as a result.

There was some hope that Kancey could return to action this week, but so far that has not materialized.

Bucs May Want To Wait Another Week To Get Calijah Kancey Ready To Return

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: USA Today

Typically, Todd Bowles wants to see his players coming back from injury practice before inserting them in a game, and there could still be time for Calijah Kancey to take the field. The Pittsburgh product hasn’t even practiced once in full pads as his injury occurred within the opening minutes of Tampa Bay’s first padded practice of training camp.

Last week Bucs general manager Jason Licht shared his excitement over Kancey’s debut – whenever that happens to occur.

“Extremely excited,” Licht said. “He is trending in the right direction still. We still want to make sure we don’t put a player out there, especially with that kind of skill set and with that type of injury, too early. He is trending the right way. [I’m] very, very excited.”

The 6-foot, 286-pound Kancey is an undersized, explosive pass rusher that is expected to contribute quite a bit to the Bucs’ sack total in 2023. Kancey recorded 16 sacks in three years at Pitt, including 7.5 sacks last season as a junior and seven the year before as a sophomore.

If Kancey doesn’t play on Sunday in the 2023 season opener, Logan Hall, the Bucs’ top pick in 2022, is expected to start in his place in both base and nickel defensive packages.