Buccaneers should trade for Giants All-Pro after Calijah Kancey injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost breakout candidate, defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, for the season after he suffered a torn pec in Week 2. The defensive unit had been off to a strong start, and Kancey was a big reason why. Rather than letting the injury bug lower the ceiling for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, the Buccaneers should go all in on replacing such a difference-maker.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence is growing increasingly frustrated after New York’s 0-2 start to what already looks like another disappointing season in New York.

If that frustration boils over to the point where Lawrence seeks a change of scenery, the Buccaneers should be the first team on the phone to give Lawrence a chance to play for a contender.

Lawrence is a two-time AP Second-Team All-Pro and one of the league’s most dominant interior defenders. He recorded nine sacks in 2024 — more than any Buccaneer managed last season — and posted an elite 89.9 Pro Football Focus grade, ranking third among all defensive linemen. Through two weeks of 2025, he’s again ranked third with an 87.7 grade.

Adding Lawrence next to Vita Vea would not only help fill the void left by Kancey, but it could also prove to be an improvement, immediately forming one of the NFL’s most feared interior duos. It would also take pressure off edge rushers Haason Reddick and YaYa Diaby, strengthening the defense as a whole.

That type of move might be necessary given the state of the offense. A flurry of injuries has already ravaged the Buccaneers’ line, with Cody Mauch out for the season with a knee injury and Luke Goedeke landing on injured reserve with a foot injury.

With the offense decimated by injuries, Todd Bowles’ defensive unit will have to carry the load, and Lawrence could be the piece that makes that possible.

Of course, trading for Lawrence would be costly. He is under contract through 2027, with cap hits of $23.6 million this season, nearly $27 million in 2026, and almost $29 million in 2027. But the hefty price tag would be worth it if it helps cement the Buccaneers as one of the league’s best defenses, and potentially the best rush defense.

The Giants’ immediate schedule won’t help morale. They face consecutive playoff contenders, hosting the Chiefs in Week 3 and the Chargers in Week 4. If New York falls to 0-4, the front office may be forced to consider shopping its frustrated star.

Trading for a player like Lawrence is the type of aggressive move that can push a contender over the hump in a Super Bowl chase. Bowles would be ecstatic to bring in a player as talented and hungry as Lawrence, whose growing frustration is worth monitoring in the coming weeks. The Giants would certainly be reluctant to deal the anchor of their defense, but it wouldn’t hurt for Tampa Bay to make the call.