The Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a significant contributor for the 2027 season shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft. This move highlights the team's ongoing commitment to strengthening their roster.
East Rutherford, NJ — November 24, 2024 — Tommy DeVito of the Giants gets hit after he threw this pass by Calijah Kancey of Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter. DeVito was injured and came out of the game for one play as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to MetLife Stadium and defeated the New York Giants 30-7. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
One Tampa Bay Buccaneer just got rewarded for 2027 in a big way.
The 2026 NFL Draft has concluded, and the Bucs added a number of potential impact players across the three-day event.
However, just two days after its conclusion, Tampa Bay made another move that helped sew up an important contributor for the 2027 season.
The team announced on Monday afternoon that it has picked up Kancey’s fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
The Bucs drafted Kancey out of Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the No. 19 overall pick. Kancey served as a significant contributor in the 2023 season, appearing in 14 games, all starts. He had 26 total tackles with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
He turned those numbers up in a big way in 2024. He totaled 7.5 sacks, which led the team, a half a sack ahead of DL Vita Vea. He was also second in tackles for loss with 11. Unfortunately, he missed five games with a calf injury.
Things went awry early for Kancey’s 2025 season when he suffered a pectoral injury in Week 2 against the Houston Texans. He was placed on injured reserve and returned for the Bucs’ season finale against the Panthers.
With the option exercised, Kancey is set to make $14,475,000 per Over The Cap. The question is, can Kancey stay on the field and prove that money to be well invested? The production is there, but with 22 games missed over his first three seasons, the availability needs to be as well.
The article does not specify the player secured by the Buccaneers for the 2027 season.
The article mentions that the Buccaneers added a number of potential impact players during the 2026 NFL Draft, but does not provide specific names.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New York Giants 30-7 on November 24, 2024.
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