The Bucs walked out of their win over Houston with mixed emotions. Sure, the scoreboard leaned their way on a last-second touchdown, but defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, who led the Buccaneers in sacks in 2024 with 7.5, went down in Week 2. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, starting right guard Cody Mauch joined the list of casualties.

Now, reports confirm just how bad it is. Adam Schefter revealed that Mauch suffered a season-ending knee injury during Monday’s matchup. Ari Meirov added more detail on X, writing, “The #Bucs OL, a big strength, has been ravaged by injuries: Tristan Wirfs has yet to play with a knee injury, RT Luke Goedeke is dealing with a foot injury, and now G Cody Mauch is out for the year.” He didn’t stop there, also calling out how big a loss Mauch will be in this lineup.

“Mauch has started 36 of a possible 36 games in his career. A giant loss for Tampa Bay,” Meirov explained. To fill the gap, Tampa Bay grabbed guard Dan Feeney off the Bills’ practice squad.

For a guy like Mauch, 26 years old, this is a crushing blow. He came out of North Dakota State as a proven winner, stacking three FCS titles and earning Consensus All-American honors in 2022. On top of that, he’s still locked into his rookie deal. Mauch is in the third year of a four-year, $7,485,455 contract, which includes a $2,443,967 signing bonus.

Before the NFL, he had already put in serious work at North Dakota State, suiting up for 62 games across five seasons. His durability and grit defined his college days, which makes this setback even tougher to process. This season, Mauch started both games for Tampa Bay before the injury. However, for the Bucs, it seems losing Kancey might sting even more.

Calijah Kancey’s injury left the Bucs in a tricky position

The Bucs pulled off a wild 20-19 comeback over Houston in Week 2, but the celebration didn’t last long. Calijah Kancey’s injury stole the spotlight. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the young defensive lineman tore his pectoral and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. The medical team already has him scheduled for surgery on Friday, leaving Tampa Bay with a huge hole to fill.

The Bucs invested big in Kancey when they grabbed him with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. While nagging calf issues slowed him down at times, he still held a starting role when healthy. That consistency is why his absence stings so much now. For a team chasing the NFC South crown, losing one of its most disruptive young pieces is a serious blow. Depth help might even be on the table.

Still, the season won’t wait. There is no replacing Kancey, but the Bucs have to move forward even with important misses. In his place, Logan Hall and rookie Elijah Roberts will see a big uptick in snaps. Roberts has already flashed early, stacking a half-sack against Houston after making noise in his debut against Atlanta. His growth now becomes critical for this defense.

Behind them, Tampa Bay also has Greg Gaines and newcomer Elijah Simmons. The timing isn’t ideal, since Simmons just arrived from Arizona and has to quickly pick up Todd Bowles’ system on a short week. Now the question is simple—how fast can the new-look front adjust without their young star?