The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 20-19 comeback win over the Houston Texans was one of the more thrilling matchups of Week 2. After a mostly quiet second half, fireworks picked up towards the end of the fourth quarter, as the host Texans and visiting Buccaneers exchanged body blows. Despite improving to 2-0, Tampa Bay received some heartbreaking news on Tuesday afternoon. After leaving the Monday Night matchup early, Bucs defensive lineman Calijah Kancey will miss the rest of the 2025 season. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz on X (formerly Twitter), Kancey sustained a pectoral injury.
Sources: #Bucs DT Calijah Kancey will miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury suffered on Monday night vs. the Texans.
The former first-round pick is a huge piece of Tampa’s defense. pic.twitter.com/ITuJeYtDLU
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 16, 2025
“Sources: #Bucs DT Calijah Kancey will miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury suffered on Monday night vs. the Texans,” reported Schultz. “The former first-round pick is a huge piece of Tampa’s defense.”
Saying Kancey is a huge piece of the Buccaneers' defense is an understatement. With the team already dealing with a number of injuries, Kancey's injury shows that more depth will be needed. 2025 fifth-rounder Elijah Roberts could be Kancey's replacement in the meantime, but is he a long-term solution? If Roberts can adequately replace the former first-rounder, it would give head coach Todd Bowles one less thing to worry about with his unit. Can the Bucs continue to sustain absences from multiple contenders to capture their fifth straight NFC South title?
Loss of Calijah Kancey is a massive blow for the Buccaneers' defense
In addition to losing Kancey for the season, rookie pass rusher David Walker and defensive back JJ Roberts are also out for the season. While Walker and Roberts likely wouldn't have made as big an impact as Kancey this season, it shows that the Buccaneers' depth does need to be addressed. Will Bowles and GM Jason Licht look to the free agent market and other teams' practice squads to fill the void?
It's more likely that Kancey's replacement could be found via trade. With the trade deadline a few weeks out, there's still plenty of time for Licht to bring in at least a serviceable substitute for Bowles to utilize. Week 3's home opener against the New York Jets would be a lot easier if Kancey and other injured stars, like offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, were in the lineup. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, Kancey won't be seen on the field until the 2026 campaign. Will the former first-round pick finally stay healthy and become the game breaker that many in the Tampa Bay organization believe he can become?
