Vita Vea Too Important To Lose
June 29th, 2023
Critical to the defense.
Recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio, a former NFL general manager said he believes the Bucs will go as far this year as Rachaad White can take them.
While never a general manager, an NFL analyst who once worked for Sean McVay in Los Angeles said the most critical Bucs player plays on the other side of the line.
Long-time NFL analyst and good friend of Joe, Andy Benoit, now types for The33rdTeam.com after spending a few years on McVay’s staff with the Rams.
Benoit believes the player the Bucs cannot afford to lose is Vita Vea. Not only is Vea invaluable to the interior defensive line interior, Beoit says, he keeps heat off Lavonte David and Devin White — and both players have stunted impacts with Vea off the field.
In their 2020 Super Bowl season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ defense gave up a league-low 3.0 yards per attempt on called run plays. It got to where offenses wouldn’t even bother trying to run. But in the last two seasons, Tampa Bay’s run defense has slipped into mediocrity, allowing 3.9 yards per designed run – right around the low end of the league average.
Defensive tackle Vita Vea is not the reason for this. The sixth-year veteran can win with power early in the down and late in the down. He is mobile, including lateral movement in confined areas and while engaged.
Coincidentally, that vaunted 2020 Bucs run defense played without Vea for much of that season. He fractured his leg in mid-October and did not return until the NFC Championship. But if that defense is to regain its dominance against the run, it starts with one of the league’s most uniquely gifted nose tackles.
Lavonte David and especially Devin White are as fast a linebacking tandem as any. Vea must keep them clean from second-level blockers.
Yeah, Vea is not only a beast against the run, he sets linebackers free to fly around behind him because he eats up blockers.
So not having Vea in the mosh pit truly has a ripple effect for the first two levels of the defense.
That’s an impact the Bucs cannot afford to live without.
June 29th, 2023 at 8:50 am
Agreed. He deff the anchor of our defense. If vea keeps eating up double teams that sets up everyone else. Hopefully can let kancey get 1v1 n get to the QB. If kancey is as everyone says he is and Shaq makes a great come back we might actually have a pass rush this year. I know kancey a rookie and roomies don’t make the most impact but one can imagine
June 29th, 2023 at 9:03 am
If that former is GM Mark Dominik then we’re probably screwed because he usually doesn’t know what he’s doing or talking about. I’d rather believe the cheerleader over him.
June 29th, 2023 at 9:05 am
If we do lose Vita we can just bring Sapp & Booger back.😀 They need to find something to keep them busy anyway. I’m sure Sapp would help Antonio & Tyreek chip in helping opening up a domestic violence shelter.
June 29th, 2023 at 9:42 am
No.
June 29th, 2023 at 9:52 am
This, right here, is why Vea got paid early and White did not. Something I’m sure White saw and is part of his frustration.
Simple fact – this defense changes drastically with Vea out. White? Not so much. That’s why one got paid and the other is playing out his 5th year to prove it.
June 29th, 2023 at 10:09 am
Dominik was not a great GM, but I do think he is a good analyst, especially compared to any natty in reference to the Bucs.
June 29th, 2023 at 10:12 am
We also had JPP and (omg, his name just totally left my head).
June 29th, 2023 at 11:23 am
Via definitely makes a big difference.
June 29th, 2023 at 11:24 am
Dominick made Bruce Allen look like a great GM.
June 29th, 2023 at 12:13 pm
@BuccaneerBonzai
You talking about when they had Michael Bennett?
June 29th, 2023 at 1:37 pm
A 2018 re-draft, Vea goes 3-5. Not a bad pick at 12 by Licht.
1. Josh Allen
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Roquan Smith
4. Quinton Nelson
5. Vita Vea
June 29th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Can’t wait to see how Calijah Kancey does next to Vita Vea.
June 29th, 2023 at 2:47 pm
is it me or is that article a complete contradiction??
“Benoit believes the player the Bucs cannot afford to lose is Vita Vea”.
“In their 2020 Super Bowl season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ defense gave up a league-low 3.0 yards per attempt on called run plays. It got to where offenses wouldn’t even bother trying to run”.
“Coincidentally, that vaunted 2020 championship run defense played without Vea for much of that season. He fractured his leg in mid-October and did not return until the NFC Championship”.
HAHA So what the hell is it?
June 29th, 2023 at 6:25 pm
My favorite player on defense. Hands down the most important player on that side.
June 29th, 2023 at 6:35 pm
I was about to post this, but then kept reading the quote:
Kinda defeats his own argument… lol
June 29th, 2023 at 6:35 pm
lol exactly @ kyle
June 30th, 2023 at 12:07 am
@Joe,
Why is my comment not posted? Is it in moderation for calling Vita Vea over-rated and a part-time player? Is it for calling out the TNF game where Devin White was being eaten up by OL coming off of Vita?
Vita is good, but he’s not elite.
June 30th, 2023 at 12:12 am
No idea.
June 30th, 2023 at 2:10 am
One point I disagree with.
Freeing the backers is true. But I for one have not seen White roaming around anywhere near the tackle of running backs like I would expect.
These ex GMs need to do a bit more homework.
Go Bucs!
June 30th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
Duded played over his playing weight last year.
He is our only d lineman, so he needs to show out.
When JTS is your best outside rusher….. The focus going to be on u.
June 30th, 2023 at 5:59 pm
I like Vea’s game when he is out there.
Need more than 59% of the snaps.