Interesting Statement On Vita Vea
July 18th, 2022
Conditioning an issue?
Jeremy Fowler’s top-10 defensive tackles list for BSPN had a very interesting statement from an unnamed NFL suit/coach.
Joe is going to guess this guy is not with the Bucs.
Don’t worry. List Season is nearing an end.
With Bucs training camp revving up next week — next week! — Joe highlighting some lists of Bucs players, coaches and suits will come to an end. (There, Joe will try to temper breathless enthusiasm for how some guy from East Cornfield State is tearing up Ross Cockrell, at least through the first five practices conducted under underwear football rules.)
In lauding Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea, Fowler’s unnamed source touched upon something that had Joe fully triggered all last season. Does Vea lack stamina?
Joe is bent about the lack of snaps from Vea, especially down the stretch last year. Whether that was the Bucs trying to conserve Vea’s gas or if Vea’s knee was barking too much is not clear. But the source Fowler used to talk up Vea seemsed to indicate stamina is an issue for Vea.
Vea was ranked as the No. 7 defensive tackle.
“The way he can manhandle centers and can also play on third down and be effective when fresh really impresses me,” said an NFC exec who voted him in the top three. “I wouldn’t want to go against him.”
Read that excerpt again. Did you catch the same two-word phrase Joe did? “When fresh?”
You cannot say the Bucs overused Vea last year. As Fowler pointed out, starting defensive tackles generally play at least 700 snaps in the regular season. Vea had 581 while only missing one game. And he played less than half the snaps aganst the Rams in the playoffs.
Joe knows Vea is sensitive about the subject. World-renowned JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufamn asked Vea during underwear football season about his snap counts and Vea clearly bristled and pushed back on Ira.
Joe doesn’t know if getting more snaps means Vea must have better conditioning or if it is just a matter of staying healthy. Regardless, the Bucs need him to get more snaps.
The simple fact is this: As good as Vea is — and he’s a freaking monster — and as much as he’s getting paid, Vea needs to be on the field more than a part-time player.
July 18th, 2022 at 3:52 am
Joe, I thought you were going to tell us that Vita came in weighing 550 or something.
July 18th, 2022 at 3:54 am
Don’t worry he’s been training with Lenny this year
July 18th, 2022 at 4:04 am
This dude is a monster when “fresh” but everyone began to take notice in week 3 against the Rams in LA, Vita was on the sideline for large chunks of time, when he was needed out there, but all we saw was Vita on the sideline. Not Cool. If Vita is bristling about being asked about playing, then you know Ira hit a raw nerve.
The best ABILITY is AVAILABILITY. You can be a HOF, but if you cannot not stay on the field, to at least a league average, then something is up.
Come on Vita we need the in shape version of
“Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau Vea”
otherwise known as the Runaway Rhino with Bucs gear on lol
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 18th, 2022 at 5:47 am
He should be on the field more. It is quite unnerving as August stated above to see him on the sidelines in some of the biggest moments of the biggest games.
Will he rise to the challenge now that Suh is gone?
Vea is one of my favorite players to watch in the trenches. He needs to be on the field more.
July 18th, 2022 at 6:10 am
The man needs to earn his keep. Can’t do that on the sidelines. This season more than ever. Let him bristle all he wants. Improve your conditioning VV.
July 18th, 2022 at 6:41 am
Bowles said it last year or year before
“You get paid you play”. Or something like that
He has been asked to step up in leadership role as well. Have a feeling he will be playing many more snaps. Kinda Hope bucs worked in personal chef as part of his new juicy contract. No reason he cant lose a few bad lbs and still hold monster size (better weight).
Dude is a freak with quick feet (from his days playing rb). 😂
Hope he takes that all world step up this year.
July 18th, 2022 at 7:52 am
There should be a Bucs/ JBF contest from the waist down
Match the thighs with the player line up
In the Dead Season 🤡
July 18th, 2022 at 8:00 am
Suh.
July 18th, 2022 at 8:16 am
let me know when y’all have anything good to say about someone. it’s so negative around here all the time gets old fast…..
July 18th, 2022 at 8:34 am
Bucs were tied or behind in the 4th quarter 9 times in the 2021 regular season. We lost 4 of those, but came back in the other FIVE games to win. So instead of being 13-4, we could just as easily have been 8-9.
What made the difference? Tom Brady was essential for sure, but each of those comebacks was more than 1 person. The entire team stood tall & didn’t quit, both offense AND defense.
And that’s what makes the difference IMO between winning seasons & losing seasons … TEAM EFFORT when everything’s on the line. LEADERSHIP at those critical times is a big part of that; leaders inspire others to ‘rise to the occasion’. Suh & JPP were 2 of those critical leaders. IF neither is gonna be here this season, Vea needs to ‘rise to the occasion’ to take a leadership role and inspire others. He can’t do that from the bench.
July 18th, 2022 at 8:48 am
Are we forgetting Vita got carted off the field against the Washington Snyders week 10 with a slight MCL sprain and a bone bruise that got him designated as inactive against the Giants on MNF? I 100% remember jumping off my couch exclaiming “not again” when Vea went and stayed down. Vita only played >50% of the defensive snaps in 3 of the last 7 games of the season and part of that was probably ensuring he’d be available for the postseason. I’ve seen nothing outside of injuries that makes me question Veas’ work ethic
July 18th, 2022 at 8:49 am
Come to camp at 350lbs. …..and we will work the rest out!!
July 18th, 2022 at 8:51 am
I think the Bucs were thinking playoffs/superbowl and didn’t want to lose Vea so they came up with a plan to limit his play and try to make sure he was fresh and available for the playoffs. This year, I suspect that mindset will change after a full season from Vea.
July 18th, 2022 at 8:52 am
lol … how can you possibly fault the player
For injuries
SMF’nH
July 18th, 2022 at 9:28 am
The darn thing was that historically Suh and JPP were always among the top at defensive snaps in every year they were healthy.
That slipped even for them last year.
I think as a Buc fan, I got spoiled with them.
Percentage of snap counts along defensive line per season:
2016: JPP 2nd, Suh 4th
2017: JPP 2nd, Suh 14th
2018: JPP 4th, Suh 9th
2019: JPP 2nd (in games after recovery), Suh 11th
2020: JPP 3rd, Hicks 15th, Suh 34th
2021: JPP 19th (only considered games played), Suh 58th
Maybe the expectations of Vea having to take as many snaps as those guys is just unfair. For instance, Joey Bosa has never been in the top 10.
July 18th, 2022 at 9:36 am
Durability and availability are as important as ability. A dominate player needs to have all three. How he holds up physically this year will be a strong indication of his long term value to the team. Dominate full time vs dominate situational player?
July 18th, 2022 at 9:47 am
That is why the Bucs need Suh. Vea can’t do it alone on every snap and won’t get through the season without Suh.
July 18th, 2022 at 9:53 am
Todd calls the defense. Todd makes the calls on snap count.
Todd should answer the question.
July 18th, 2022 at 9:58 am
The thing is folks, we’re still winning with him playing the snaps that he is. If we’re getting 11, 12, 13 wins, why are you complaining? There are other guys on the field besides him, so he is not the whole defensive side of the ball. We lose you’re not satisfied; we win you’re not satisfied. Stop trying to find the smallest things to nitpick at. Next topic.
July 18th, 2022 at 10:04 am
Vea is too heavy so I suspect stamina is an issue. His style of play, pushing the pocket, requires a high energy expenditure.
July 18th, 2022 at 11:23 am
I just think that this is who Vita is. A nearly unstoppable force, but only in spurts. He’d be making Aaron Donald loot if he could make grown men look silly for an entre game.
July 18th, 2022 at 11:46 am
VV should lead the league in holding calls NOT called!!!
July 18th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
I’ve re-watched every game from last year. When Vea is on the sideline, more often than not, he looks gassed. I think it’s a conditioning issue. Carrying that kind of weight, in that heat can’t be easy. No doubt they were trying to keep him fresh at points. But, he was coming out regularly before the knee injury. After that, Dooley is right, they were definitely managing him for the playoffs. Vea could easily drop some mass, and be just as effective. He’s country strong.
July 18th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
For those that remember, Vea came in his 1st year was very thick at the draft but dropped all kinds of weight before the 1st season.
I am not sure the Bucs liked him at the lighter weight and he did not look good at the beginning of that 1st season. They basically benched him at one point making him more of a backup/special teams guy It was that November 25, 2018 game against San Fran that he finally looked good.
The next year we got Suh and I think Suh helped him understand his role better. I think the Bucs and he both realized that he had to be thick to play DT in the NFL. But that being said, he will probably never be a 700-snap player.
P.S. 4 days after his big game on November 29, 2018, the Bucs offered me and all other season ticketholders 2 free tickets for the next Bucs game on December 2nd against Carolina. How times have changed!
July 18th, 2022 at 4:52 pm
Suh.
July 18th, 2022 at 5:17 pm
He needs more snaps at RB.
He will convert 100% of our 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 attempts.
Vea needs snaps at RB. Not FB.
Devin White was a badass RB too.
Imagine Devin White at FB and Vea at RB on 3rd and 1?
Or Devin White and Vea at FB with Leonard Fournette taking direct snaps at QB?
Do you really think anyone would stop nearly 800 pounds of pure muscle coming at them?
I also think more laterals like in Rugby need to be used more.
Think outside the box Bucs fans!
July 18th, 2022 at 5:43 pm
If Vita would stop eating the triple bacon cheeseburgers, just drop down to double back cheeseburgers, he’d be able to get down to 330lb, and at 330lb, he’d be a real force on all three downs, instead of being the part time player he is now.
People who don’t know anything about football, who only watch Vita’s highlight plays, are the ones who think he’s a top DT. How can you be a top DT if you only play half the snaps?
Also Vita isn’t 350, no way, he’s likely closer to 370. But regardless of what he weighs, at 330, he isn’t going to be any worse against the run game, and then he might become an actual force in the passing game – and he’d play around 75% of defensive snaps, which is where he should be.
The Bucs are paying him a ton of money, and I’d hope they’d really be on him to get in better shape.
Also for those who think I have no idea what I’m talking about and think him playing at 370 is what is needed, can you name a single time he’s made a huge stop on a 3rd and 1, or a 4th and one, or a 3rd or 4th and goal? I literally can’t think of one, but I’m more than open to being wrong – not saying it hasn’t happened, I just don’t remember it if it has. But if you want to see him grab a RB with one arm and pull him down on 1st down in the 2nd quarter of a game, those highlights I’ve seen a lot.
July 18th, 2022 at 7:26 pm
Rod you are ignorant on this subject.
Vea is not 370lbs and no defensive tackle anywhere plays 75% of the snaps.
July 18th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
As a professional, a player’s job is to condition the hell out of themselves, try to get better and healthier constantly, and focus bigtime with trainers during offseasons. Vita should realize that he’s gassed too often, and too heavy, which contributes to injuries. GET BETTER, STAY ON THE FIELD.