In a Thursday column on PewterReport.com, two Pewter Reporters will debate a topic with different viewpoints. Which Pewter Reporter wins the debate? You get to decide in the comments section below.

This week’s topic: Who Is The Bucs Defensive X-Factor Going Into The 2026 Season?

Point: Bucs Defense Solves A Lot Of Problems When Calijah Kancey Is Available

By Matt Matera

Without question, this has to be defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. Look at how the Bucs defense, and specifically their defensive line, plays without him? It’s never been a question of Kancey’s performance, but rather his durability. Because when he’s in, he takes Tampa Bay’s defense to the next level.

His pass rushing ability as an interior defensive tackle brings such a value. With all the struggles that they’ve had generating a pass rush on the outside, its been Kancey and Vita Vea that have gotten the job done on the interior. Vea’s getting older in age and it’s time for Kancey to fully take the reigns of this unit. Two seasons ago he led the team with 7.5 sacks. That’s difficult to accomplish as a defensive tackle and yet he did that as a second-year player.

Bucs DT Calijah Kancey – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

Even last season, although he missed a majority of it, the Bucs were undefeated when Kancey was able to play. They began the season 2-0 and then won the season finale when Kancey returned. And that’s why he’s an X-Factor. The Bucs win when he is in and are better with him.

The problem has been that he can’t be relied on to stay readily available. Kancey couldn’t get through training camp and the preseason in his first two seasons without getting injured. Then in his third year he got hurt in the second game. It begs a big question that Tampa Bay will have to make down the road on if they want to give him big money for a player that is constantly missing games.

When playing, Kancey’s play elevates others around him. His ability to get to the quarterback quickly makes the job easier for those in the second and third levels. Given all the defensive struggles, Kancey playing a majority of the season can mask a lot of the issues and get the Bucs back to finding success.

Counterpoint: Tampa Bay’s Defense Is Different When Antoine Winfield Jr. Is Making Plays

By Bailey Adams

I can’t dispute Calijah Kancey’s importance to the Bucs defense, as I’ve written about it myself. But when I think “x-factor” for Tampa Bay’s defense, I think of Antoine Winfield Jr., and more specifically, the playmaking version of Antoine Winfield Jr.

From his 2020 rookie season through his All-Pro campaign in 2023, Winfield looked like he was on a legendary trajectory. He was often the playmaker for Todd Bowles’ defense, totaling 15 sacks, seven interceptions, 11 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, 27 passes defensed and 18 tackles for loss over those four seasons.

But in the two years since? He struggled through an injury-riddled 2024 season and when the Bucs defense was desperate for a playmaker in 2025, Winfield wasn’t quite that – even if he did make his second career Pro Bowl and go on to win MVP honors after an interception of Joe Burrow in the flag football game.

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay’s defense has been on the decline in recent years, and while it shouldn’t be on one guy to pull everything together and carry the whole unit, Winfield did just that in 2023 and has struggled to do so in the last two seasons. He was limited to only two sacks and one forced fumble in nine games in 2024 before picking it back up a bit more in 2025 with two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Heading into next season, the Bucs are in dire need of more sacks and more takeaways. While there are some additions the team has made and will continue to make in order to help those efforts, it’s Winfield who is the x-factor in Tampa Bay accomplishing what it wants to do on that side of the ball. He needs to be more of the guy who had 15 sacks over his first four seasons and less of the guy who has just three in the last two years. And he needs to get back to taking the football away like he did 26 times in those first four years before seeing those numbers drop to five in the last two years.

So, for my money, a better Bucs defense in 2026 may heavily depend on a better, more productive Winfield – like the Winfield of old.