By Bucs Report,J.t. Olson
Copyright yardbarker
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled out an incredible walk off win on Monday night football. However, lost in the excitement was a loss that is much bigger than just one game. It was the loss of star defensive tackle Calijah Kancey.
Kancey left in the midst of this game with a pec injury and did not return. We now know the severity of this injury and it will cost him some time. Specifically, Kancey will miss the rest of the season.
This is a devastating injury. Kancey is one of the most disruptive and effective defensive tackles in the NFL. His ability to rush the passer from the interior cannot be replaced.
With that said, the team has no choice but to move forward. Someone will take Kancey’s place and the Bucs will have to make the best of it. Here are my five potential replacements for Calijah Kancey.
1) Christian Wilkins
This is the wildcard name that comes with as many questions as it does answers. Wilkins was cut by the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason due to a dispute over the rehab of a foot injury he sustained last season. There were also reports that he playfully kissed a teammate on the head which caused issues in the locker room.
First and foremost, we look at his health. The Raiders obviously thought he hadn’t handled his rehab correctly and had placed him on the physically unable to perform list before having cut him. How close is he to being able to physically return to the field and play at a high level? For the Raiders to void his massive contract, they obviously didn’t feel very good about it (although Wilkins has filed a grievance over this).
There is also the question of what kind of personality brings to the locker room. On the surface, the reported issue doesn’t seem like a huge deal. But obviously, if it caused issues in the locker room then there is probably a lot more beneath the surface with Wilkins as a person. Would Jason Licht consider bringing this guy into his squeaky clean locker room?
There is no doubt that a healthy Wilkins is a big time talent. He is one of very few potential options that could come close to replacing Kancey. However, the team would have to do a ton of homework before considering this type of move.
2) Tanoh Kpassagnon
This is a name that you have probably heard before, although you may not know it by reading it. Kpassagnon won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and was their starting defensive end in the Super Bowl in 2020 when they lost to the Bucs. He has since played four seasons with the New Orleans Saints and he then latched on with the Chicago Bears last offseason.
Currently, things aren’t looking very good for the Bears as they sit at 0-2. There is a pretty good chance that they are sellers at the trade deadline, especially considering how good their division is. Acquiring a depth defensive lineman from a bad team feels like a reasonable thing to ask.
Kpassagnon has 17.5 sacks in 106 career games. These numbers aren’t fantastic, but he’s a proven veteran who knows what it takes to be part of a Super Bowl winning team. If he can’t replace Kancey’s production, he can at least improve the depth along the defensive line.
3) Rakeem Nunez-Roches
A familiar face could help be a solution for this problem. The man they call “Nacho” was part of the Bucs Super Bowl defense in 2020 and played five seasons in Tampa Bay with four of them coming under Todd Bowles. He is a player that this coaching staff knows very well.
Nunez-Roches isn’t much of a pass rusher, but he plays with a lot of hustle and defends the run well. Considering the team can’t replace Kancey’s pass rush ability, it might be better to just focus on defending the run up front. That’s what this move would focus on.
4) Harrison Phillips
This is a move that focuses on that same concept as Nunez-Roches, but at a much higher level. Phillips isn’t much of a pass rusher. He has 8.0 career sacks and is now in his 8th season in the NFL.
However, Phillips is an excellent run defender. He is one of the most physical and imposing defensive tackles in the league and would certainly add to an already strong Bucs run defense. Him next to Vita Vea would be absolutely terrifying for opposing interior offensive lines.
On top of that, Phillips is also considered one of the best locker room guys in the NFL. His leadership and intangibles are off the charts by all accounts. This is why the New York Jets traded for him before the season, but now that things are falling apart their they might try to get back a draft asset for this short term rental.
5) Leonard Williams
Admittedly, this one is a pipe dream. It would require the Seattle Seahawks to really struggle over the next few weeks (possible) and cause them to go into a full blown fire sale (unlikely). But if the stars align, adding Williams would be incredible.
Williams is coming off his second career Pro Bowl. It is the first time he was recognized like this since his second season all the way back in 2016. Of course, this was just one year after Todd Bowles and the New York Jets drafted him in 2015.
After four years with Bowles and the Jets, Williams was traded to the Giants in 2019 and then again to the Seahawks in 2023. Now to bring everything full circle, the Bucs could make a run to reunite him with Bowles as Williams approaches the twilight of his career.
It’s also worth noting that this would be the most difficult salary cap situation to try to maneuver. He is a $15 million cap hit this year, which is actually very reasonable considering the caliber of player that he is. It would take some shuffling things around by the Bucs front office to make this type of deal work financially.
