Jason Licht Excited For Calijah Kancey
February 29th, 2024
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Last spring the Bucs selected one of the top rookie classes in the NFL.
And the leader of the pack was first-round pick, defensive tackle Calijah Kancey out of Pitt.
Kancey was impressive alone, but factor in he missed virtually all of training camp and the three worthless preseason games due to a calf injury in the first week of training camp. He didn’t hit the field for a full game until Week 6 (he did play 11 snaps in Week 1 at Minnesota where he had a quarterback hit before re-injuring his calf).
Speaking Tuesday at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis at the combine, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht noted Kancey has just skimmed the surface of his potential.
“Well, he did a lot,” Licht said of Kancey. “He’s super explosive. He’s very smart. I think he’s ahead of the curve for a rookie. He’s going to be even further ahead next year. He’s a super competitive guy.
“Usually, your draft class… your whole class kind of takes after the first pick. Calijah is the perfect example of what you want the rest of the class to fall in line on. He’s always in the building, he’s always trying to improve, [and] he’s always asking questions.
“He and Yaya [Diaby] were two best buddies running around all the time, and it’s fun to see how those two are going to grow together. I think they can both be dominant players.”
Well, with Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett gone and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka still trying to justify his draft selection, the Bucs will need more pass rush from somewhere.
As we saw back in the 2020 postseason, the best friend of an edge rusher is another guy on the line blowing people up. One reason Shaq was a holy terror in the NFC title game and the Super Bowl was Vita Vea came off injured reserve and was absolutely manhandling offensive centers and guards. That helped allowed Shaq to get loose against single-coverage.
So if the Bucs will have a quality edge rush next year, it would really help Diaby and JTS if Kancey can raise hell inside.
Listen to Bucs general manager Jason Licht on the Ira Kaufman Podcast. Click here.
February 29th, 2024 at 8:00 am
Don’t forget JPP and Suh on that line too with Shaq. Potentially 2 Hall of Famers.
February 29th, 2024 at 8:06 am
lets repeat the same kind of sucess for 2024 draft
February 29th, 2024 at 8:21 am
Sounds promising thought I don’t like his (under)size.
February 29th, 2024 at 8:39 am
JPP was also a huge reason for great pass rush in 2020. We need a guy like that, with his energy, to overcome the Todd Slowzone.
February 29th, 2024 at 9:01 am
“the three worthless preseason games” Just when I thought I was going to have a nice day….triggered!
February 29th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Jason Licht … “Usually, your draft class… your whole class kind of takes after the first pick.’
That’s an interesting observation. Looking back over the Bucs’ draft history since JL arrived, seems to be true more times than not for some reason.
o 2023: Yes (Kancey 1st pick … solid draft class)
o 2022: No (Hall 1st pick … solid draft class after that)
o 2021: Yes (JTS 1st pick … only Trask & Hainsey remain)
o 2020: Partially true (Wirfs 1st pick … only Winfield remains))
o 2019: Yes (Devin White 1st pick … solid draft class)
o 2018: Yes (Vea 1st pick … solid draft class after that)
o 2017: Yes (OJ Howard 1st pick … only Godwin remains)
o 2016: Yes (VHIII 1st pick … weak draft class; none remain)
o 2015: Partially true (Jameis 1st pick … Rnds 2-4 solid)
o 2014: No (Mike Evans 1st pick … weak draft class overall)
February 29th, 2024 at 10:04 am
I’d try everything to go out & sign Josh Allen & the maybe they can make up for their mistake when they passed on him but I don’t see him going anywhere. He’ll probably stay in Jacksonville. I wanted him over White from the beginning. Probably wouldn’t be able to afford him right now anyway with the $$$$ they’re gonna be trying to spend on resigning Baker & Evans & hopefully Lavonte & Antoine, too! I’d resign McLaughlin, too! Say goodbye to White.
February 29th, 2024 at 10:07 am
The Illinois DT from Clearwater, Johnny Newton, could be there at 26.
Don’t count on JTS
February 29th, 2024 at 7:35 pm
I’m looking at this guy Fisk from FSU, he came in strong towards the end of the season and could give the Bucs another interior pass rusher next to Kancey.
February 29th, 2024 at 11:32 pm
In this defense, the scheme doesn’t really allow for defensive lineman (actual lineman, not LBs who are somehow now called lineman when they’re not) to get big stats, so I’m not sure he’ll get quite to double digits – but it also wouldn’t shock me. If Bowles plays more 4 man fronts, however, we could see a monster year from him playing next to Vita.
March 1st, 2024 at 1:09 am
I saw this dude playing in a Division 2 scrimmage in Michigan. Had great game tape against the girls flag football team. We should draft him in the 3rd round.
March 1st, 2024 at 3:25 am
ABOUT KYLE TRASK: When drafted it was stated that he would learn behind Brady for two years or retirement, and then take over. He wasn’t needed or expected to be good until Brady left. That’s exactly what happened. He came alive and was sharper when Brady left. But the team forgot about the vision they had for him when they drafted him. Arians expected Trask to be a developmental player, he was drafted just for that reason. It should have been Trasks job to lose, then if he bombed, you bring in Mayfield to be the hero. Baker was promised the job when he signed, period.
March 1st, 2024 at 9:08 pm
Trashk sucks, always has, always will.
March 2nd, 2024 at 2:53 am
We have to sign Labonte David in Winfield Jr