Strength challenge ahead

The No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft is back on the practice field today as the Bucs strap on the pads for the first time, surgically-repaired hand included.

Vita Vea, as Bucco Bruce Arians noted earlier this month, is sporting a club-like covering on that right paw, as the Twitter photo from the nflstroud account reveals here.

Lots of players have played with a club through NFL history, Jason Pierre-Paul included, but not everyone adjusts to it well and obviously it’s something that potentially could affect strength. Again, potentially.

Bucs center Ryan Jensen noted recently that Vea might be the strongest player in the NFL. (Great explanation by Jensen) So Joe has to wonder aloud about how the club might impact that.

Hopefully, the club comes off in a few weeks and all this is moot. But for now, it’s something for Vea to adjust to. Joe talked to a football man who’s familiar with playing with a clubbed hand. The guy told Joe the silver lining is that it forces you to be laser focused on your overall technique because you’re thinking about the hand. Eventually, he said, that hyper-focus on technique leads to overall improvement.