The Athletic's Dan Pompei thinks Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea could have a career year in 2024. The seven-year veteran is entering the prime of his career at 29 years old after losing a significant amount of weight in the offseason while working out with former teammate Ndamukong Suh. Vea has been listed at 347 points but probably weighed closer to 367 pounds. The Buccaneers have wanted him to slim down for a while. Over the last three seasons, he has missed games with toe, groin, pectoral, calf, foot and knee injuries. In addition to being quicker and more explosive, Vea could also be healthier in 2024. The 29-year-old inside pass-rusher is hoping to play increased snaps on defense now that he's lighter after recording a career-high 43 tackles (28 solo) last year while picking up 5.5 sacks, one shy of his career-high.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has lost weight this offseason while training with long-time NFL defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. The 2018 first-round pick reportedly weighed a lot more than the 347 pounds he was listed out last season, and the team believes it hampered his play in 2023. Buccaneers defense line coach Kacy Rodgers said Vea "looks a lot different," and the team wants him to go from being "good" to "dominant." Over his first six NFL seasons, Vea has racked up 180 tackles (111 solo), 23.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, six pass deflections, and 23.5 run stuffs. He is a one-time Pro Bowler (2021).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be missing another key defender in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, as defensive tackle Vita Vea (toe) has been ruled out. In addition, the Bucs will be without linebacker Devin White (foot) and cornerback Jamel Dean (ankle, foot) yet again. Vea is the team's best run-stopper at nose tackle and has 33 tackles, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles this year for the Bucs, so his absence is pretty notable this weekend against a Falcons team that loves to run the rock more often than not. With the 28-year-old Vea sidelined on Sunday, Greg Gaines will see more playing time on the Buccaneers' defensive line.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea is listed as questionable for Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bucs' anchor on the defensive line is managing a foot injury and was on and off the practice field this week, logging limited sessions on Wednesday and Friday with a DNP in between. Missing Vea would be a blow to Tampa's run defense, and Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier could see a bump in production if the lineman is ultimately ruled out on Sunday.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers restructured defensive tackle Vita Vea's contract on Friday to clear around $9 million in salary cap space for 2023, according to a source. Vea signed a four-year, $73 million contract extension with the team before last season, and he was scheduled to make $12.5 million in 2023. Tampa continues to adjust to get under the salary cap this season. After making his first Pro Bowl in 2022, Vea had a career-high 6.5 sacks, 31 tackles (15 solo), seven tackles for loss, 13 QB hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 14 regular season starts in Tampa last year. He'll remain a key cog on the interior of the Bucs' defensive line in 2023.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (foot) will suit up for the Week 12 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. He was questionable coming into this game due to a foot issue. It sounds like the problem is minor, so the stud tackle will take the field on Sunday. Through 10 games, Vea has 26 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and one fumble forced. His presence will be helpful in the Bucs attempt to slow down running back Nick Chubb.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defensive tackle Vita Vea agreed to a four-year contract extension on Saturday worth over $73 million. Vea has been one of the best interior defensive lineman since the Bucs took him in the first round in the 2018 draft. Tampa already agreed to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2022 season, so his new deal will kick in for 2023 and will keep him with the Buccaneers through the 2026 season. The average annual value of Vea's deal is $18.25 million per year, which makes him the fifth-highest paid defensive tackle in the league behind Aaron Donald, Leonard Williams, DeForest Buckner and Chris Jones. Vea has recorded 31 tackles (21 solo), five tackles for loss, 12 QB hits and a career-high four sacks in 15 games this year and is a big reason why the Bucs are one of the toughest defenses to run against.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (knee) wasn't at practice on Friday, and while he still has another day to get back on the practice field, he's unlikely to do so and probably will not be active on Monday night against the New York Giants after getting injured in the Week 10 loss to the Washington Football Team. The 26-year-old was officially diagnosed with a bone bruise and slightly sprained MCL, so he could even wind up missing the game in Week 12 after he was carted off the field last Sunday. The good news is that the Buccaneers should have Vea, who is a key presence in the middle of the team's rush defense, for the stretch run of the regular season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout defensive tackle Vita Vea (knee) was diagnosed with a bone bruise and a slight MCL sprain after undergoing an MRI exam, according to a source. The Buccaneers were concerned that Vea's injury was worse, but he could still be forced to miss some time after getting injured in the Week 10 loss to the Washington Football Team. The 26-year-old had to be carted off the field on Sunday, but it looks as though he won't have to miss the rest of the season. That's good new for Tampa's interior defensive line, but it seems like a lock that he'll be out for the Week 11 game against the New York Giants on Monday night.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially activating defensive tackle Vita Vea (leg) from Injured Reserve on Friday, and he will be eligible to play in the NFC Championship game against the Packers on Sunday, according to a source. Vea has been out of action since fracturing his leg in Week 5, but he'll be in the trenches for Tampa's strong defensive front in an effort to slow down quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense. Rakeem Nunez-Roches has been holding down the fort at defensive tackle with Vea out this year. We wouldn't be surprised if Vea is limited in how many snaps he can play in his first game back, though, so don't be surprised if Nunez-Roches continues to play a big role. Either way, it's a slight upgrade for a Buccaneers Defense that has a tall task ahead of them at Lambeau Field.
