A fast-sinking Buccaneers season now needs more than one NFC South development to be salvaged, as the Saints now must topple the Falcons in addition to Tampa Bay defeating Carolina. The Bucs will have more help when they suit up Saturday.
The team will activate defensive lineman Calijah Kancey from IR, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The former first-round pick has made it back from a pectoral tear. Kancey, who has not played since Week 2, will be on a pitch count, per Todd Bowles (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud). Every little bit helps here, as the Bucs are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
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Tampa Bay is also elevating Jason Pierre-Paul from its practice squad, per Stroud. This marks JPP’s third elevation this season; another appearance on the Bucs’ gameday roster would require an official signing from the P-squad. The team waived linebacker John Bullock as well.
We have seen September pectoral tears turn into late-season IR activations recently. This happened thrice in 2023, with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DaQuan Jones and Avonte Maddox reemerging after suffering this injury. Kancey’s return falls at a similar spot on this timeline, and rumblings about a playoff return — after pectoral surgery — began to emerge weeks ago.
Kancey will beat that by a week. This season has certainly marked a delay in Kancey’s development, with the prospect it ends after three games squarely in play. But he will have a chance to contribute as the Bucs attempt a last stand in their Panthers rematch.
The Bucs drafted Kancey 19th overall in 2023 and saw him show considerable promise in 2024. Last season, Kancey registered 7.5 sacks and added 19 QB hits. He also combined for 21 tackles for loss over his first two seasons. This year represents a disappointment for the Pittsburgh product, and it may complicate the team’s fifth-year option decision (due shortly after the draft). But Kancey returning to full strength should help his cause there.
Tampa Bay did not see Joe Tryon-Shoyinka make much of an impact and saw Devin White trend downward steeply. But they have hit on Tristan Wirfs, Graham Barton, Kancey and Emeka Egbuka out of Round 1 in this span. Bowles and Jason Licht received extensions this offseason. While Bowles has overseen a drop from 6-2 to 7-9, the NFC South’s evergreen status as a down division has kept the Bucs in the mix. Bowles also looks more likely than not to receive another chance in 2026. That will be Kancey’s contract year unless his option is exercised.
Not sure why the JPP elevation #3 is of concern. If they lose, the season is over. If they win, the practice squad elevations reset.