Calijah Kancey’s Potential Game Changing Return to the Buccaneers Defense

As the NFL commissioner took the stage to announce the Buccaneers' first-round pick back in April, the anticipation hung heavy in the air. Nobody other than the team's front office, of course, had an idea who was going to be the pick. 

Calijah Kancey being the selection was a bit of a surprise to many, but the talented player from Pittsburg started to grab the attention of Bucs fans with his impressive college stats, combine numbers, and comparisons to Rams all-pro defensive tackle, Arron Donald.

Unfortunately, Kancey has been battling a calf injury since the start of training camp, which made it hard for him to get on the field and show everyone what he is capable of. The eleven snaps that he was able to play before tweaking his calf in week 1 against the Vikings were very promising. He may have been limited, but he was able to stunt his way into a very impressive hit on Kirk Cousins.

Todd Bowles has had some trouble finding a 3-tech that has the speed and athleticism to pair with their brick wall at nose tackle, Vita Vea. After experimenting with Suh, Hicks, and even Hall at the position, it seems like he finally found his guy in Kancey. 

Even though Vita Vea is on pace to break his season high in sacks, the defense is lacking speed on the inside. Having a player like Kancey back can really open up opportunities for everyone else on the field. Bucs fans are eager to see what their favorite team's first-round pick can do with his speed in the interior. I believe it will make a huge difference. 

Todd Bowles said in a press conference that Kancey could return this week after the bye. The team held a practice Monday and it seemed like he was practicing at some capacity. We will see if he continues to practice as he hopes to play against the Lions this Sunday.