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Bucs exercise 5th-year option on DT Calijah Kancey

By Thomson Reuters Apr 27, 2026 | 3:41 PM

The Buccaneers exercised the fifth-year option for defensive tackle Calijah Kancey on Monday, ​ensuring he remains in Tampa ‌through the 2027 season.

The option reportedly gives Kancey $14.475 million in guaranteed money for the 2027 campaign.

Kancey went ‌on ​injured reserve on ⁠Sept. 17 with a ⁠torn pectoral muscle that required what was reported at the time to be season-ending surgery, ​though he returned for the final game of the ⁠season.

The 25-year-old has ⁠been hampered by injuries ​since entering the league in 2023. ​He missed three of the ‌first four games of his rookie season with a calf injury and was sidelined again ⁠by a calf injury to start the 2024 season, though he returned to ⁠finish ‌that season with 7.5 ⁠sacks in the final ​12 ‌games.

The 2023 first-round draft ​pick (19th overall) ⁠has recorded 11.5 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 55 tackles, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble in 29 career games (28 starts).

–Field ​Level Media