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Calijah Kancey’s long-awaited return from a torn pectoral is officially “in play” as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into a must-win Week 18 clash with the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.
Kancey’s chances of return are strong, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports and ESPN’s Jenna Laine, noting that the Buccaneers want to see how he handles the final practices of the week before making a roster move. Tampa Bay must activate him from injured reserve to the 53-man roster to suit up, a decision likely tied to whether he can practice without setbacks and maintain his usual explosiveness.
Kancey tore his pectoral muscle in the Buccaneers’ Week 2 win over the Houston Texans, underwent surgery, and was placed on injured reserve with expectations he would miss the remainder of the regular season.
His 21-day practice window was opened late in the year, and he has been a limited participant, gradually ramping up his workload as medical staff monitor how the pec responds to contact. That improvement makes his potential return a realistic scenario rather than a long shot.
Even if active, coaches are expected to manage his snaps, using him heavily in passing situations to maximize his interior pressure without overtaxing the repaired muscle.
Tampa Bay enters its next game needing a victory over Carolina, with its playoff hopes hanging in the balance. The tiebreaker scenarios looming in the NFC South race do not favor the Bucs either, needing the New Orleans Saints to beat the Atlanta Falcons.
In Kancey’s absence, the Buccaneers have relied on Greg Gaines and Elijah Roberts inside, but the pass rush has lacked the same burst Kancey brought during a 7.5-sack rookie campaign in the 2024 season.
His return would give the defense a dynamic interior rusher against a Panthers offensive line that has struggled in high-leverage moments, potentially swinging a tight, postseason-defining contest in Tampa Bay’s favor.
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