Calijah Kancey's goal for the 2026 season is to play every game, after injuries sidelined him for parts of each of his first three seasons. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope the pass-rushing interior lineman plays every game in 2027, as well.
On Monday, the Buccaneers picked up the the option year on Kancey's original NFL pact, keeping him under contract through the 2027 season.
As the 19th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Kancey received the same contract structure that every first-round selection has received since the 2011 CBA: four years with a team option for a fifth year. That option must be exercised by a deadline in the spring prior to the player's fourth season; this year, that deadline was May 1. The fifth-year option includes a significant increase in the player's salary for that season.
Despite the calf and pectoral injuries that have limited Kancey to 29 games and 28 starts so far, he has been a significantly productive player when on the field. In those 29 games, he has produced 11.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss and, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, 66 quarterback pressures. Though he missed most of last season with a torn pectoral muscle suffered in Week Two, he was impressively able to return to action in Week 18 from an injury that is usually season-ending.
In 2024, Kancey recorded 7.5 sacks and 37 quarterback pressures despite missing five games with a calf injury. He had 33 QB pressures and 4.0 sacks in 14 games as a rookie.
Prior to Kancey, the last first-round pick for whom the Bucs had exercised the fifth-year option was All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs from the 2020 draft. The Buccaneers did not pick up the option for 2021 first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and did not have a first-round selection in the 2022 draft after trading down to the 33rd pick to select Logan Hall.
