Calijah Kancey expected to miss entire preseason

Buccaneers rookie DT Calijah Kancey is expected to miss four weeks after straining his right calf. That would cost the first-round pick all three preseason games but give him a shot at being ready for the opener. We wouldn't bet on Kancey getting near full playing time early under that scenario. The rookie already sat low in our 2023 IDP rankings. We'll keep an eye on his status upon his return from this injury.

The Buccaneers selected DT Calijah Kancey in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Kancey enjoyed a highly productive three years at Pittsburgh. He averaged 0.93 tackles for loss per game for his career; 1.32 per game for his final season. Kancey delivered a 99th-percentile 40 time at the Scouting Combine. He’s minuscule for the position by historical standards, though: 6’1, 281 pounds, with 1st-percentile arm length. We’re not betting against the upside, but those measurements make Kancey risky. Playing next to block-eating DT Vita Vea should help. See where we valued Kancey in our pre-draft IDP rookie rankings.