The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking to second-year defensive tackle Vita Vea to anchor their defensive line in 2019 after the release of Gerald McCoy.
The 2018 first round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, defensive tackle Vita Vea, has slimmed down this offseason. According to The Athletic’s Greg Auman, Vea is working on his “beach body,” in the hopes of staying on the field in passing situations instead of plugging up gaps on running downs.
Taking a huge step in his second year is paramount for Vea if the Buccaneers have plans of moving past the 5-11 mark they have hit in the previous two seasons. After the departure of Gerald McCoy, the Buccaneers will need Vea to stay on the field for more than two downs at a time and provide a pass rush for a defense that struggled under former defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
Under new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Vea will be asked to play a multitude of roles across the Buccaneers’ defensive line. In their new 3-4 defensive scheme, Vea will play as the nose tackle, but could also, if he truly has a slimmer frame, could be staring some time as a defensive end in the face as well.
During limited time as a rookie, eight games after returning from injury, Vea totaled three sacks, four tackles for loss, and four hits on the quarterback. He graded out as an above average starter with a score of 74.2 according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
With McCoy gone and Jason Pierre-Paul potentially out until November, Vea will look to anchor a defensive front with new faces such as Anthony Nelson and Shaq Barrett. With a slimmer build, Vea could be a force to be reckoned with in year-two in Tampa Bay.