Can Vita Vea Continue His Dominance?
September 11th, 2022
Bucs NT Vita Vea.
Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian is a big fan of Bucs inside linebackers Lavonte David and Devin White.
He is also a big fan of the biggest member of the Bucs’ front-seven.
Speaking last week while co-hosting “Late Hits” with Bill Lekas, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio with special guest Ira Kaufman, Polian loved the play of nose tackle Vita Vea. Ndamukong Suh kept big bodies off David and White, he did the same for Vea, which Polian said allowed Vea to wreak havoc.
“Vita Vea is a special player,” Polian said. “He’s a big, powerful man who can move and he plays better on the move than he does stationary. And having Suh next to him to absorb all of that [traffic] and to be a picker in all of those stunts and allowing Vita Vea to move and be athletic was a dynamite combination.”
The way Polian raves about how Suh kept big bodies away from David, Vea and White, it sure seems defensive tackle Akiem Hicks may be a bigger free agent signing than Joe originally thought.
And that also means Hicks staying healthy is more important than ever. Hicks, unlike Suh, hasn’t played a full season of football since 2018.
September 11th, 2022 at 3:09 am
But, but, but … According to many JBF comments that I’ve read over these past few months, Suh was toast last year. According to them, the waterboy was more qualified to play defensive tackle than he was. Father Time had caught up to him, beat him to a pulp, taken his lunch money, and left him as a shell of his former self.
Or MAYBE not? MAYBE ‘availability’ as a result of Ironman status really does count for something. Only time will tell.
September 11th, 2022 at 3:27 am
Defense, I’m right there with you brother. I SURE “hope” Hicks can make it but his history says no. He can be that upgrade but I’m awful weary he can hold up for an entire season. I’m was hoping Hicks can make it through BUT I’m praying that Suh is available if ans when Hicks breaks again. With the write up I just read I’m starting to sweat a little without the Iron Man in the line up. We Will See 🙏
Go Bucs!
September 11th, 2022 at 4:36 am
Yea suh really kept those double’s off vea 🙄
September 11th, 2022 at 7:14 am
If Hicks hasn’t made it healthy through a season in four years, why would anyone expect him to make it through this one healthy?
Suh.
September 11th, 2022 at 7:57 am
Yes, DR only time will tell if our defense is good. I certainly think it can be good without Suh.
I never suggested Suh is horrible. I just pointed out for all your positives that you listed that in his 717 snaps he had only 15 solo tackles. I also said that my personal impression was that Suh was better in the playoffs than the regular season.
I always gave Suh and JPP credit for their ability to be top 10 in the league in snap counts for defensive lineman. Great. Now we have a team that will not have a player on its defensive line in the top 10.
I am not sure why that correlates to you that the defense will be worse this year or that means we have too little depth.
Were either JPP or Suh worth their salary last year? I say no.
That fact that neither player is signed seems to suggest that they think more of their worth than any of the 32 NFL teams.
September 11th, 2022 at 8:28 am
Suh was a good player…..Hicks is a good player……Suh simply wants too much money or he would be on a team right now.
I;m hoping Logan Hall helps to fill in the void….at least some this year.
September 11th, 2022 at 8:34 am
Bench strength is where I think we will have an issue. thats why I like to watch the preseason games. see how our second does against their second, thirds against their thirds, always going to be injuries so your bench players better be good enough to give competition to the starters
September 11th, 2022 at 9:12 am
I’ve watched a lot of football in my life. One thing I can guarantee is that Hall of Fame guys cannot be replaced. Suh is a first ballot guy. Do you guys honestly think he can be replaced in our line up? No one will fill that position and play it as well as he did. I loved watching him work the center of the field, controlling the run and blocking lanes. What a beast and a loss to football if he does not play again. Games are won and lost by guys like this. We just don’t see it.
September 11th, 2022 at 9:20 am
Is Vea going to play more than 30 snaps?
September 11th, 2022 at 9:53 am
Polian has to be going by 2020 because last year SUH was practically ineffective. There is a reason he has not been signed by anyone else yet.
There’s a reason the Buccaneers did not sign him back.
His play dropped off drastically but he wants to keep a higher salary.
If they have injuries and can sign him as a cheap vet back up, I would not be surprised but that’s all he is now
September 11th, 2022 at 10:06 am
Sumosam Says
I love fans that talk like you and mention how much you personally appreciated watching him play. Not enough of that on this site.
I agree that Suh is a HOF player. Belichick would rather get rid of that HOF player a year too early than a year too late. Age caught up with guys like Sapp and LT. It does not mean you can replace them. It also does not mean you should project their HOF type play to be happening at the end of their careers either.
The fact that no NFL team has signed him has to be mean something to you.
September 11th, 2022 at 10:33 am
I think Vita will be even better this year, playing next to Aikeem Hicks vs Suh.
I liked Suh too, but he wants too much money for a player whose play dropped off.
Same with JPP, who only had 2.5 sacks last year.
September 11th, 2022 at 11:52 am
I’ve seen at least a handful of commenters just in this piece say that Sun hasn’t been signed by any NFL team because he wants too much money.
Fantastic insight. Now please provide just a tad more … EXACTLY HOW MUCH is Suh asking for to play this year? Not speculations and assumptions; you all made the same statement, so surely you must know EXACTLY how much he’s asking for, because you’ve all said that it’s ‘too much’. All I want is to hear the number of dollars. Oh and the reference for where you got your information.
I’m still convinced (and will be until this season ends) that Suh WILL be a Buc this season. I’m also convinced that at age 35 he has no desire to learn a new system & join a new team, and that he’s ‘rolling the dice’ with the Bucs. Pure speculation on my part, but at least I’m willing to admit it.