Fuzzy Math On Vita Vea Playing Time
May 3rd, 2022
This is an eyebrow-raiser.
Vita Vea’s position coach last season doesn’t seem to know how much Vea actually played.
Joe has written many times how frustrating it is to see Vea off the field for big snaps in big games.
Take the biggest game of last season against the Rams in the playoffs; Vea played less than half the snaps, 34 plays to be exact. His defensive tackle counterparts on the Rams played the entire game.
Co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers, also the Bucs’ defensive line coach, was talking to media at One Buc Palace today and fielded a question about Vea’s playing time.
Rodgers response was puzzling — because it was inaccurate.
“Vita, last year, I want to say he was averaging anywhere from 42 to 50 snaps a game and it it’s kind of really how it needs to be,” Rodgers said. “And we’re on him about possibly getting his conditioning a little better so he can play more.”
The reality is Vea did not break 40 snaps in any of his final 10 games. So why is Rodgers saying Vita averaged between 42 and 50? Even before Vea banged up his knee in midseason, he had four games in which he played less than 35 defensive snaps.
The Bucs are a better team with Vea on the field. So that’s why Joe is bothered by this subject. Rodgers implied today that Vea doesn’t have the fitness to play more than he does. That’s really hard to believe, especially as the winter weather arrives.
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:31 am
Put that fat boy out there until he drops……
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:33 am
We are with ya Joe!
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:34 am
This is actually infuriating. You give this guy a huge extension and he can’t stay on the field bc he’s not in shape. And that’s on him, and the bucs for tolerating it. Do you see Aaron Donald off the field that much?
I’d sit his ass on the bench or the treadmill till he gets it
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:36 am
Perhaps Mr. Rodgers should be replaced? And why wasn’t Todd Bowles asking this question?
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:38 am
if thats the case then they need suh back
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:47 am
Will this post should wake up Mr Munch. Must be tired after all that posting during draft weekend.
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:47 am
*Well
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:49 am
Conditioning really does need to be his focus now. He can drop an easy 10 lb of lard and still be just as imposing. Probably more so.
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:53 am
I assumed they held him back to reduce injury risk and have him available and fresh for the playoffs. Let’s hope that he’s healthy and getting after it with conditioning this next season.
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:54 am
Hard to get past him getting a large extension and seeing the kinda snap counts he gets then to say you are going to possibly talk to him about his conditioning huh? Just wild.
May 3rd, 2022 at 11:55 am
Don’t forget he had a significant ankle injury last season. May be wrong but I believe it was the Rams regular season game.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Everyone went crazy when they found out Tyler Johnson had too many pork chops, cheeseburgers, fries & key lime pie in the off season….and he’s a 5th round pick making little money.
And here we have Vita…..1st round pick….millions….skipping considerable snaps…….whip this guy into shape…..get him in the pool with Tristan!!!
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:25 pm
Statistics 101: 42-50 snaps would be the range, and 46 would then be the average, roughly. An average is ONLY 1 number. I’m sure she actually knows statistics and just mis-spoke.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:26 pm
Possibly improve his conditioning? He’s a 1st Rd draft pick; he better improve his conditioning.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:28 pm
If it is his conditioning, why the hell did they reward him with a monster contract with out conditions
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:29 pm
If they think this draft pick is their new 3 technique like they said on the phone, this thing is over…. We won a super bowl because of Brady in spite of coaching- things are heading south, “we don’t need Suh, We’re good”. Don’t get too pompous One Buc Place and coaches. Suh and JPP are the major reasons we did anything at all
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:30 pm
Should have picked travis jones also two d lineman instead of one.
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:34 pm
Could you imagine the rams only using Donald that much?
May 3rd, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Earth to Coach. Hello Hello Come in please.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:03 pm
Vita is a big dude that makes other big dudes look like children at times in a way that is unique to Vita. No one currently in the league can just truck folks the way Vita can. Maybe his body is such that he’s just not able to attain a level of fitness that would allow him to play more and still be a bada$$?
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Why are we paying all this money for part time duties? Some of these assistant coaches are very suspect. They’re BA’s guys so of course there want be any accountability.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Yeah, there needs to be some accountability there. By the coaching staff and by VEA. He got a big fat contract… Earn it. I understand a D line rotation but he should be playing 75% of the snaps -minimum.
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:45 pm
sooo we gave big millions to an unfit part-time player. thought ben simmons played basketball lol smh
May 3rd, 2022 at 1:50 pm
Between Darden getting more shots and both raised eyebrows at this coach’s “Vita” comments I am starting to get depressed.
May 3rd, 2022 at 2:03 pm
A closing pitcher in Baseball has a limited number of pitches before he loses elite speed, movement etc. Some positions in football obviously the same. So its up to the coaches to stay on top of Veas productivity with all the MILLION differant sabermetric stats and databases. It is not that “alarming” that the ex position coach doesn’t know this.. It is however a sign that maybe our coaching Staff should be on the same page.
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:04 pm
This only adds to deep concerns about the DL. How will they win a SB if the DL is a constant fitness and injury problem, individually and collectively? Vea and Nacho need to be fully fit and functional, for the entire season and the playoffs. Why should a part-time player get giant extensions?
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:24 pm
I think that the part about being out of shape is BS. It isn’t like we’ve ever seen him get worse as the game progresses, we just see him standing on the sideline ready to go back in. I imagine that if he were tired he’d be sitting on the bench or take a knee.
Thanks for asking, and please stay on this subject Joe! We’ve got to get to the bottom of this. It makes no sense and it drives me insane!
May 3rd, 2022 at 4:27 pm
Maybe Sapp was right!
May 3rd, 2022 at 5:39 pm
Vea’s almost 10 years younger than Suh. They’ve both been in the trenches together since 2019 (3 years). Comparison?
Games played 2019-2021: Vea – 37 … Suh – 49
Total def snaps: Vea – 1579 … Suh – 2377
Snaps/game average: Vea – 42.7 … Suh – 48.5
Percentage of def snaps played: Vea – 49.5% … 74.5%
And yet we just signed Vea to a 4-year contract making an average of almost $18 mil per year, at a time when many seem to feel that Suh is expendable even though he’s on the field 50% more and makes 50% less. Yup, makes perfect sense.
May 3rd, 2022 at 6:04 pm
It’s not about the number of snaps for me, it’s more about the production in the snaps that he take. That being said, after his injuries, weight should be and must become a concern, I have always thought that Vita Vee should come to camp at 325lbs, practice and game day would keep his weight down!…..and I wouldn’t against his weight slowly climbing to about 340lbs over the course of the season!!
May 3rd, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Vea needs to drop 25lb and improve his conditioning.