Vita Vea Earns Respect
July 19th, 2021
Impresses NFL suits.
Many Bucs fans believe the Bucs have the second-best nose tackle in the game with monster Vita Vea in the middle.
The guy just wreaks havoc in the interior. When Vea returned from his broken ankles to play in the NFC championship game at Green Bay, Vea was tossing around Packers Pro Bowl center Corey Linsley around. Totally pushing him back three or four yards many times.
But not everyone is as high on Vea as Bucs fans. Oh, no question NFL suits think Vea is good, though maybe top-three.
Jeremy Fowler of BSPN has been tasked with contacting various NFL suits to get them to name the league’s best players. And in his poll of NFL shot-callers, Fowler has Vea ranked the No. 9 interior defensive lineman in the game.
9. Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Highest ranking: 5 | Lowest ranking: 14
Age: 26 | Last year’s ranking: N/AWatching Vea crash through an offensive line can be an experience through space and time.
“Serious physics of mass and explosion,” one NFL GM said when asked to describe Vea.
The 6-foot-4, 347-pounder doesn’t have the gaudy stats, but doesn’t need them. His one tackle in two playoff games doesn’t begin to describe his impact.
The size with the quickness (near-5.0 40-yard dash time at the 2018 combine) was a problem for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
“Once he got back in the playoffs, they were different. You couldn’t do anything against them,” said an NFC executive. “Vita can rush [the] passer, has force — more a Deebo [the “Friday” character], not a craftsman. If he wants to get in, he gets in.”
Why wasn’t Vea ranked higher? Well, Joe thinks it is as simple as playing time. Vea has battled injuries in two of his first three seasons. Last season, for example, Vea missed 13 of the Bucs’ 20 games.
If Vea is able to play a full season as he did in 2019, Joe is confident Vea will shoot up the list of top interior defensive linemen next summer.
July 19th, 2021 at 10:04 am
Agree about Vea.
Hate to go off-topic but would like Joe’s comment on the national implication of Brady’s knee injury last season. Could the fact that is was not reported actullay lead to TB’s suspension for a few games as some pundits have hinted? Important to clarify, imo. Thanks.
July 19th, 2021 at 10:08 am
I’ve been saying, Vita will put 3 people in the hospital this season. Licht struck gold by drafting this barbarian
July 19th, 2021 at 10:08 am
Sometimes u just have to move a mf out the way ! Lol
GoBucs!
July 19th, 2021 at 10:30 am
He is the 2nd best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
July 19th, 2021 at 10:35 am
I think he’s ranked lower because of his availability. When he’s in there, few people can move him. He’s very disruptive and creates opportunities for others.
If you dig trench warfare, there aren’t many that are as fun to watch.
July 19th, 2021 at 10:44 am
Joe – is Vea still waiting on that hug from Tom Brady? “Come on Brady”.
July 19th, 2021 at 11:33 am
If Vea is second best at the specific NT position, who is first??? He was injured if they’re basing things on stats but I can’t think of a more powerful boulder thrower in the NFL at the position.
July 19th, 2021 at 11:36 am
Glorious week ahead Bucs fans! The final episode of the Current on Wednesday and start camp on Sunday. LFG!
July 19th, 2021 at 11:42 am
Agreed SOEBuc. In The Current is fantastic and I greatly look forward to episode 6!
Training Camp is right around the corner. LFG Bucs!
July 19th, 2021 at 11:42 am
Vea needs to stay healthy! Shaq’s sack numbers say he needs Vea up there.
July 19th, 2021 at 11:43 am
Still love the Vea boulder story. Look it up if you don’t know it. It’s funny.
July 19th, 2021 at 11:57 am
SOE, it’s behind a paywall of course but I’m guessing number one would be Donald. Which would be accurate.
July 19th, 2021 at 11:58 am
Donald isn’t a prototypical NT obviously but the list is based on interior defensive lineman.
July 19th, 2021 at 12:26 pm
Vita Vea is my favorite player to watch on the Bucs and I think he’s the best NT in football. If he stays relatively injury free for the rest of his career he’ll be given a gold jacket one day.
July 19th, 2021 at 12:31 pm
That would be crazy if he was suspended over that. For many years Tom Brady has shown up on most injury reports as ‘questionable’.
July 19th, 2021 at 12:42 pm
D-Rome. Thanks.
July 19th, 2021 at 12:43 pm
Can’t understand why media folk especially seem to insist on rank-ordering players by positions. Management for each team generally does that pretty well IMO when they draft or re-sign players for specific positions within their defense or offense.
Vea is very capable on his own to be sure, but his true value is how well he performs within the framework of the Bucs’ defense, as a key cog within our DLine. Having Suh, Gholston, JPP, Shaq, LVD & White all buzzing around at the same time he is has to drive offenses nuts. Who do you key on? Key on Vea & Suh or JPP or White might very well have you for lunch. But key on one of those others and Vea may very well feast.
Just can’t figure out why individual comparisons seem to be such a big thing. How about focusing on position group performance instead? It’s within the groups IMO that players who COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER truly excel as a group AND as individual players.
July 19th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Force equals mass times acceleration. 347 pounds times 5.0 40 equals “oh sh!t”
July 19th, 2021 at 1:57 pm
Personally, I’m glad he’s not rated highly. I hope those teams followup with not game-planning for him either.
July 19th, 2021 at 1:58 pm
Defense Rules how come you are not upset Joe didn’t mention offense in this post? Did Vea win the SB by himself?
July 19th, 2021 at 2:19 pm
Donald was literally shut down by the Bucs not receiving ONE STATISTICAL NUMBER! That would never happen to Vita.
July 19th, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Vita is an absolute monster. Unstoppable when on the field. Hope he’s healthy this season.
July 19th, 2021 at 3:01 pm
Has VV gotten his hug from Tom Brady yet?
July 19th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
Just caught your post 47.
Brady owes Vea a man hug. Or maybe he got it after the SB win.
July 19th, 2021 at 3:08 pm
Casual Observer
Every one of those scumbags lost big money betting against Brady in the post season, that’s why they’re some salty little Btchs. Everything they say and do is based on who they’re laying lumber on.
Goes double for the idiots announcing the games. They give it away every time.
July 19th, 2021 at 3:48 pm
Put the dude in at halfback a few times and people will notice.
July 19th, 2021 at 7:31 pm
The team could be fined for not putting him on the injury report, the player is never fined, or suspended. No worries.
July 19th, 2021 at 8:33 pm
Hodad – Thanks. I wasn’t sure about the rule. And some sports writers were making it sound ominous.
July 20th, 2021 at 1:58 pm
Vita Deebo Vea. Love it! Keep the nicknames coming! GO BUCS!!
July 20th, 2021 at 5:55 pm
When healthy, Vea is the best nt in the game and it’s not even remotely close. He’s injury prone as hell though, so I don’t see him getting another contract with us unless that changes.