Coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that Vea has dropped weight this offseason in the interest of playing increased snaps, including third downs, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports. Vea is coming off a career 2023 campaign, with a new high of 43 tackles (28 solo), while his 5.5 sacks fell just one short of tying a career-best mark. An ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks provides Vea with more IDP value than the usual defensive tackle, so if he can keep racking up sacks despite dropping weight, the addition of third-down reps could provide a significant boost to the 29-year-old's fantasy prospects.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Vita Vea news
Vita Vea Career Stats
Career Stats
SK
TK
AST
INT
TFL
26
119
72
0
0
Defensive
| Year | GP | SOLO | AST | TOTAL | SACK | SACKYDS | INT | DEF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 15 | 28 | 15 | 43 | 6 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 7 | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 16 | 22 | 11 | 33 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 3 |
| 2020 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 2018 | 13 | 21 | 7 | 28 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
Vita Vea Game Log 2023
|
2023 Regular Season
|
defensive
|
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Date
|
Opp
|
Result
|
SOLO
|
AST
|
TOTAL
|
SACK
|
SACKYDS
|
INT
|
DEF
|
TFL
|
|
1/7
|
W
9-0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
12/31
|
L
13-23
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
12/24
|
W
30-12
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
12/17
|
W
34-20
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
12/3
|
W
21-18
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
11/19
|
L
14-27
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
|
|
11/12
|
W
20-6
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
11/5
|
L
37-39
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
10/22
|
L
13-16
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
10/15
|
L
6-20
|
4
|
2
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
10/1
|
W
26-9
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
9
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
9/25
|
L
11-25
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
9/17
|
W
27-17
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1.5
|
12.5
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
|
9/10
|
W
20-17
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
| Regular Season Totals |
28
|
15
|
43
|
5.5
|
31.5
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
||
Vita Vea Player Profile
Team
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Birthdate
2/5/1995 (29)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'4", 347 lbs
Draft Info
2018: Rd 1; Pk (TB)
Birthplace
Milpitas, CA, USA
Position
NT
College
Washington
Experience
7 seasons
Career History
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018-Present
(6 seasons)
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Vita Vea Latest News
Drops weight for third downs
Coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that Vea has dropped weight this offseason in the interest of playing increased snaps, including third downs, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports. Vea is coming off a career 2023 campaign, with a new high of 43 tackles (28 solo), while his 5.5 sacks fell just one short of tying a career-best mark. An ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks provides Vea with more IDP value than the usual defensive tackle, so if he can keep racking up sacks despite dropping weight, the addition of third-down reps could provide a significant boost to the 29-year-old's fantasy prospects.
Will be game-time decision
Vea was questionable in Week 7 with a foot injury, but it's a groin injury that's putting his availability for Week 8 in doubt. If he's sidelined, Greg Gaines could draw the start at nose tackle.