Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL in 2024 with 17.5 sacks and is expected to repeat that outstanding performance. But the question remains: can he defend his sack title again? This debate intensifies as Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey is projected to have a breakout season and challenge Hendrickson, who faced a contract saga throughout the offseason.
Last season, he led the Bucs with 7.5 sacks while playing just 12 games.
"In 2025, he is chasing the NFL sack title," Bucs reporter Brianna Dix said about Kancey on Wednesday. ... "The 'undersized' narrative followed Kancey throughout the pre-draft process, but his twitchy feet and forward-charging attack made him a commodity for the Buccaneers and Todd Bowles' defense."
Kancey's coaches echo that sentiment. Coach Todd Bowles praised his understanding of blocking schemes and his physical toughness as key reasons for his growth.
"He put in a healthy camp and cross our fingers he starts the season off for the first time since he has been here," Bowles said. "We look for big things from him. He is very tough. Everybody thinks he is small, but he is extremely tough and he can hold a double team and do all the little things for us."
#Bucs HC Todd Bowles discusses how DT Calijah Kancey has grown. Bowles added that Kancey had a great camp and the team expects big things from him as he starts the year healthy. pic.twitter.com/pGVsmn0j8R
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 27, 2025
Kancey's 2024 season was impressive despite a calf injury that caused him to miss five games. He posted 6.5 sacks over the final nine weeks. This shows that when he's healthy, he has the ability to dominate any game.
To be the sack king in the NFL, the Bucs' defensive tackle has to prioritize health and consistency to maximize his impact in a longer 17-game season. The competition between Calijah Kancey and Trey Hendrickson will be one of the most exciting things to watch once the season kicks off next month.