It’s simple to miss Vita Vea on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers protection. Lavonte David and Devin White are two of the NFL’s greatest protection linebackers. Shaquil Barrett is an elite cross rusher on the surface. Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are proud veterans who have been nonetheless productive of their 30s final 12 months. Antoine Winfield Jr. was one thing of a rookie sensation within the defensive backfield. In fact, the presence of Tom Brady overwhelms the whole lot else in the case of the Bucs.
Vea entered the league with loads of hype because the No. 12 total decide within the 2018 NFL Draft. He performed an important position on their Super Bowl LV champion, however typically it takes a extra refined eye to understand his affect. Vea solely had 7.5 sacks mixed in his first three seasons, and suffered a fractured ankle that restricted him final season earlier than he returned deep into the playoffs.
Nostril deal with isn’t precisely essentially the most glamorous place on the sphere. The job description traditionally entails the phrases “house eater.” Primarily, the nostril deal with exists to free everybody else as much as run round and make performs. Even among the greatest nostril tackles we’ve seen in recent times — Ted Washington, Pat Williams, Vince Wilfork — aren’t the focal point on their groups.
However for those who watched the Bucs’ comeback win towards the Dallas Cowboys within the season opener on Thursday, it was exhausting to take your eyes off Vea. It is because Vea is large and scary and completely dominant on the sphere. He’s 6’4, 346 kilos of uncooked energy.
Vea was not credited with a deal with towards Dallas, and nonetheless felt like he left a large affect on the sport. Watch him plow by the center of the Cowboys’ offensive line to get a stress on Dak Prescott right here:
Take a look at the way in which he blows up the offensive lineman right here:
Vita Vea’s capacity to hump transfer an offensive lineman with out slowing down and/or transferring off his path is one thing else. So violent and highly effective pic.twitter.com/GDtUX4IqRx
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) September 10, 2021
Typically you’re greatest guess to carry and hope you get away with it:
Should you’re upset in regards to the uncalled OPI, then you ought to be equally mad this apparent maintain wasn’t referred to as towards Vita Vea on the play that acquired Dallas into FG vary pic.twitter.com/kCCv1uJSNv
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) September 10, 2021
The Bucs even lined him up as a fullback at occasions offensively. That’s an enormous dude for a lead blocker.
Whilst Brady completed with 379 yards and 4 touchdowns whereas main the ultimate drive to win the sport, there was case for Vea as essentially the most impactful participant of the sport. With out making a deal with!
Vita Vea is the biggest participant ever who’s about to get an entire rattling tape piece from me. Participant of the sport.
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) September 10, 2021
Scariest half about this dude? He performed the entire recreation with no gloves and no tape. What a monster.
Vea isn’t scoring any fantasy factors this 12 months, and he’s most likely by no means going to be one of many first names talked about on the Bucs with Brady because the headliner and a lot defensive expertise round him. There’s little question that Vea is an absolute pressure, although. His play deserves to be acknowledged.
