“You Can Put A Lot Of Bullsh** Around This Guy”
September 3rd, 2024
You’ve seen the Buccaneers’ questionable roster of edge rushers. So has a two-time Super Bowl edge rusher, who thinks the Bucs have a one-man bailout plan.
Speaking on the podcast that bears his name, Green Light with Chris Long, ex-Eagles, Rams and Belicheats defensive end Chris Long sounded like he thinks hulking nose tackle Vita Vea is the Buccaneers’ MVP.
“I kind of worry about the edge rush,” Long said of Tampa Bay. “Somebody’s got to come up with 8 or 10 sacks out of that group. …But having Vita Vea, man, we’ve seen this time and again. If you have a dominant interior guy who can zero up and give a center hell and demand double teams and free up linebackers, that can keep a defense alive even if you have some holes around that guy.
“Vita Vea is one of those guys. I’m not saying he’s Vince Wilfork, like back in the Patriots days of ’05 or ’06. I’m not saying he’s just like Casey Hampton. But what I’m saying is this guy’s a motherf**cker. You can put a lot of bullsh** around this guy and still cause havoc. So I worry about the front, but [Calijah] Kancey’s going to take a step forward.”
Vea is a monster, but he’s battled injuries the past couple of seasons and it’s unclear if he can handle upping his barely full-time workload. The Bucs are hoping Vea can, in part because of his offseason weight loss (see photo above).
Kancey is such a key here. He and Vea have the potential to draw a lot of attention and make the Bucs’ crew of edge rushers look a lot better than they are.
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:06 pm
Time to eat Ya Ya !!!! I see a lot of blitzing and TFL’s Sunday… Safeties should benefit a lot also!!! Go Bucs
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:27 pm
If the Bucs defense can’t beat up on Washington Sunday people should be concerned. 60% of their roster will be playing their first game for them. If you’re a Bucs defender you should be licking your chops at a rookie with a retooled line.
It doesn’t get any better for a chance to start the season well.
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:29 pm
Hall will be fine but he’s not a disruptor. Don’t be surprised to see the Bucs draft another stud DL in Round 1-2.
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:30 pm
We spent the first half of last season getting Britt, Kacey, Yaya INTO the lineup, getting DW45, JTS and Hall OUT
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:35 pm
i was just thinking earlier
we shouldve kept sean murphy bunting
September 3rd, 2024 at 1:49 pm
How awesome would it be if Jason pulled the trigger on getting a proven edge rusher to pair with vea and kancey ? Gotta take advantage of the time we got with the beast.
September 3rd, 2024 at 2:06 pm
SlyPirate … ‘Hall will be fine but he’s not a disruptor. Don’t be surprised to see the Bucs draft another stud DL in Round 1-2.’
Totally agree with you about the Bucs drafting a DLineman in Rnd 1 or 2 in this next draft, mostly because we have no choice. Many get on JTS, but Logan Hall is a much bigger question mark IMO. He played in 16 games last season (started 13), getting almost 550 def snaps, and ended with .5 sacks, 1 QB hit & 2 TFLs. How do you even manage that as a top of the 2nd Rnd pick?
September 3rd, 2024 at 2:32 pm
With the college season on I’ve been paying attention to inside LBs, and a nose tackle to eventually replace Vea. I think there’s a good chance the Bucs put a priority on those positions next draft. Vea has plenty left, but getting the next guy at that spot can’t hurt. We have to also find David’s replacement, and or a MLB.
September 3rd, 2024 at 2:49 pm
@DR because Logan was a huge reach at a position of need when there were no better options available. That’s why.
September 3rd, 2024 at 2:55 pm
I think Vita may be pushing for comeback Buc of the year. He’s over his SB hangover, lost his weight, and seems genuinely motivated.
A “motivated” Vita Vea is a scary guy for OL’s to deal with. If YaYa and Clancy come on strong and Winfield gets turned loose occasionally, McCollum as well, opposing QB’s may have long afternoons.
September 3rd, 2024 at 5:34 pm
I want to put in a word for Logan Hall. I’m not making excuses for him, he does need to step up, but please remember his development was hampered by the COVID19 pandemic. There are other 3rd year players with a chance to break out and be major contributors this year who are in the same boat. Maybe this is the year the light comes on for him. I hope so and am rooting for him. He didn’t injure Ryan Jensen on purpose. If he falls so heavy on other big guys it sure would be nice if those guys played for other teams.
September 3rd, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Vea is a stud, the issue the last few years is that we don’t have anyone who can consistently win their one on ones like shaq and jpp use to. I’m very confident kancey will step up if healthy, I see better production than McCoy for him because he never had any help like Vea. If Yaya also steps up, look out.
September 3rd, 2024 at 10:17 pm
Our edge rush would have to be really bad for us not to have a 10 sack guy, when we have Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey eating up double teams
September 3rd, 2024 at 10:21 pm
Logan the Oaf will be doing landscaping for a living in short order.
September 4th, 2024 at 12:17 am
Kancey should be around double digits this year – but I don’t know what he means about ‘stepping up’ – the guy was a rookie last year and played great.
As for Vita, I think being in better shape should help a lot. If he can play more snaps and not just be a part time player, he’ll have a better chance of being a double digit sack guy.
September 4th, 2024 at 2:55 am
If Vea had some real help in the middle and teams were forced to pick their poison Our defense would be legendary. As it is now it is just he and Kancey. Hall and Gaines are not taking advantage of much when they double Vea. We should be getting something from those guys. I have seen Bowles call some stunts and games but they have not really produced much. Long is not wrong, But freeing up ILBs is not what Bowles will do this year me thinks since his favorite son is in Philly now. Although I do wonder if LVD can still blitz.
Go Bucs!
September 4th, 2024 at 6:42 am
The biggest surprise would be if Logan Hall actually became the player we thought we drafted. I’m convinced JTS will never be, but Hall has to take that step. We need it.