CBS: Calijah Kancey Set Up To Succeed
July 26th, 2023
Big prediction.
Hear ye, hear ye. Bucs rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey will ball out this year.
That’s the word from Chris Trapasso of CBS. In looking at the NFL field of rookies, Trapasso tried to determine the All-NFL Rookie Team. In July.
Trapasso believes Kancey has landed on the perfect team to highlight his talents and that at the end of the day, Kancey is too damn quick for a lot of NFL guards to handle. So Trapasso thinks it is a no-brainer that Kancey will be a star of the draft class.
Kancey is too explosive to be corralled on a regular basis by NFL interior offensive linemen, even if his length will be a hindrance at times. Playing alongside Vita Vea and Greg Gaines will provide Kancey many one-on-one scenarios that’ll allow him to deploy his array of pass-rush counters when he’s not winning on acceleration alone.
Joe would add Will Gholston to the mix, as well. The Bucs may have the deepest set of tackles in the NFL, maybe as deep as the Bucs had when they won the Super Bowl three years ago.
Think about it: You have two brutes, Vita Vea and Greg Gaines to go with two big tweeners in Logan Hall and Gholston to complement a speed dude like Kancey.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers ought to have all sorts of fun creating all kinds of devilish stunts and formations to help spring Kancey loose on passing downs.
July 26th, 2023 at 2:48 am
It’s a no-brainer that he was the pick for them all along.
They brought Greg Gaines from where and he played with who?
Aaron Donald. Say whatever you want and I know he hasn’t done anything yet, but he will barring your next article Joe, an injury.
He has been compared to Donald because of his speed.
It’s not too hard to connect the dots here, and Vea is unlike anyone Donald has ever played with.
I know it’s a huge # but I’m thinking 10+ sacks, rookie year
July 26th, 2023 at 3:32 am
Great pick, he adds much needed juice to the Bucs interior. Signing Gaines was a brillant move by Licht, and for the price? Like how this team is being built.
July 26th, 2023 at 6:06 am
I would also love it if we had Hicks back at some point this year. Cant stay healthy but the dude gives 100 percent on the plays I focused on him, and is violent with a capital V.
Go Bucs!
July 26th, 2023 at 6:26 am
Just hoping for a race to the QB, a race to 10 (Rah) and erase last season.
July 26th, 2023 at 7:10 am
The Bucs were humiliated on the national stage last year defensively. Lets see if they can come out with some tenacity by adding some younger players like Kancey, Diaby and Ramirez to the mix.
July 26th, 2023 at 7:12 am
No question that Kancey has excellent POTENTIAL, but sure do wish that folks would temper their expectations of a rookie. It seems to almost always take awhile for them (and their coaches) to figure out how they ‘fit’ into the scheme of things.
For that same reason, I expect JTS & Hall to show good progress this year. JTS isn’t the next JPP though, anymore than Hall is the next Suh. But they’ve both apparently added muscle & become stronger this off-season, and that’ll hopefully serve them well this season. I’d be ecstatic if JTS gave us 8 sacks, Hall 4 sacks, and Kancey added another 6 sacks. Just as important though is that all 3 learn to play the run to near perfection. We can’t afford a repeat of least season’s run defense.
July 26th, 2023 at 7:14 am
BillyBucco , Gaines didn’t just play with Donald. He played next to Vea in college
July 26th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Looks like much of our pass rush will come from the inside.
July 26th, 2023 at 7:56 am
@Statguy
Yup, and I think Gaines’ last year was JTSs’ first year at UDub
July 26th, 2023 at 8:20 am
D.R.
I agree with your focus on stopping the run. I know Joe loves sacks and who doesn’t? I respect that. But I think our pass rush will be sufficient. Not only the additions but also the fact that Devin White will be playing for a big contract and one way for him to score mega bucks is to put up some strong sack numbers.
But like you I wonder if these guys can stop the run. They didn’t last year and at times it was literally embarrassing to watch. If you can’t stop the run who cares how well the back four play in pass D, or how many QB sacks/hits/hurries the Bucs get.
Running the ball successfully is demoralizing to the opponents. Being an opponent that gets run against is demoralizing to the D.
Improve the run, stop the run, and the Bucs offense AND defense improve dramatically regardless of which QB is in the game.
July 26th, 2023 at 8:34 am
SUH
July 26th, 2023 at 9:06 am
Probably the Bucs biggest issue on defense will be against teams that have a strong pass offense. Lots of new faces in the Bucs defensive backfield. The D line and line backers look pretty solid. But the dbs are a question mark.
July 26th, 2023 at 9:37 am
Wild Bill
What!! Are you sure you’re in the right blog?
July 26th, 2023 at 9:38 am
Wild Bill
What!! Are you sure you’re in the right blog? We have one of the best cornerback tandems in the league and we ain’t too shabby at safety either
July 26th, 2023 at 9:43 am
I know Kancey is compared to Aaron Donald, but if he has the inside speed and the moves along with the hand skills he may be the next Warren Sapp. Should be fun to watch him develop.
July 26th, 2023 at 9:44 am
Will be kool to watch
He is undersized for trench mayhem that’s clear to see
Does he have the leverage to keep guards that out weigh him by 50 pounds off him 4 quarters???
So the book says he will get have a hard time when teams go downhill
But south fla guys are just different man
Vita plays 50 snaps a game so that will take some heat off on those plays
We have no one on the outside to focus on
So that will make it hard for him
July 26th, 2023 at 9:45 am
It would be great If these draft picks(starting with JTS)can step up and contribute to a strong defense. The past two seasons we haven’t had that from them. It’s a new season. Things do change!
July 26th, 2023 at 10:14 am
Wild Bill hasn’t watched a game since 2018. CD, Dean, Winfield, Neil. Not gonna find a better four DBs in the league. if anything, the backfield will get the DL coverage sacks.
July 26th, 2023 at 10:17 am
If Kancy’s success is at all tied to JTS and the invisible man, Logan Hall, it is not going to go well.
July 26th, 2023 at 10:36 am
I’ve send it before and I’m gonna say it again…
Kacey = “A Star is Born”
Buy his rookie card now fellas. The value is SURE to climb..
GO BUCS!
July 26th, 2023 at 10:36 am
@ATLBUC – Agree 💯
July 26th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Freaking Spell check………..
“KANCEY”!
July 26th, 2023 at 11:06 am
We all have high hopes for him.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Gholston resigned.
July 26th, 2023 at 11:23 am
Kancey is going to wreck opposing NFL offenses this season. Bucs defense will be in the top 10 in NFL this season.
July 26th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
My point was the D line and Line Backers are the strength of the defense. They also have very decent backups. The dbs will have two returning starters, two new additions who played well on previous teams but not a down for the Bucs, and not much in the way of proven depth when injuries occur, which they often do . The d line and backers look pretty solid and experienced and also have added high draft pics. So ya, I have less confidence in the dbs. Their top 4 include 2 new guys who could be excellent but have not played a down as a buc. Until they show us what they got in the Bucs system and until we see how the backups play in pre season, I have less confidence in the dbs than the rest of the D.
July 26th, 2023 at 3:12 pm
Kancey will be the type of game wrecker as a rookie Bucs expected Logan Hall to be after 4 years of playing experience. Dude was on another level in college with one of a kind dominant tape.
July 27th, 2023 at 6:08 am
The biggest upside to the interior DL is youth. This should serve them well if we go deep miraculously.