Vita Vea’s Presence At Bucs OTAs A Big Help

Organized team activities (OTAs) are fully optional, and some more senior players opt not to show up until mandatory mini camp when June rolls around. But when veterans do show up, it can be a big help. Such is the case with the Bucs and veteran nose tackle Vita Vea.

Vea was in attendance for this past week’s OTAs, and Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said that’s significant for the defensive line as it looks to gel ahead of the 2023 season.

Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“It’s big. They’ve got to develop some camaraderie, obviously,” Bowles said. “You’ve got speed and power and you’ve got a power guy. It’ll be different for them to learn under each other, but to have him out here and those guys learning from him is great.”

Tampa Bay’s defensive line looks to be in a state of transition this offseason. The unit currently looks much different than it did in 2022. Will Gholston and Akiem Hicks remain unsigned, while Rakeem Nunez-Roches inked a deal with the Giants in free agency. Pat O’Connor re-signed with the Bucs, but it’s Vita Vea who is the key mainstay.

Vita Vea Will Help Mentor The New Bucs Defenders

Vita Vea will anchor a defensive front that is set to be much younger and quicker this season, with 2022 second-round pick Logan Hall and 2023 first-rounder Calijah Kancey figuring into the team’s plans in a big way. Veteran Greg Gaines is another new face who looks to be a key contributor this year after spending 2019-2022 with the Rams.

So, with so much transition and a few new young faces to get familiar with, having Vea show up to the AdventHealth Training Center for OTAs is a big deal. It allows him and the rest of the defensive line to build a foundation early before continuing to build on it during mandatory mini camp, training camp and the preseason. Having that cohesion up front will benefit the entire defense, especially if the pass rush aspect of things really kicks into full gear.

Fourth-year safety Antoine Winfield Jr. said he likes what he’s seen with the defensive line upgrades this offseason, noting how much it can help the secondary.

“Oh, I love it because when you’ve got a good front-seven that puts the pressure on the quarterback then that allows us to get some more balls,” Winfield said last week. “So, I love all the [draft] picks that we had this year.”

Vita Vea Continuing To Grow Into Leader For Bucs

Bucs NT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Last year, Vita Vea found himself in a leadership position on the Bucs’ defense. With Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh gone, it was Vea and Will Gholston left to lead the Tampa Bay defensive line.

While Gholston had seniority, Vea’s bigger role — and the fact that he was coming off of a Pro Bowl appearance in 2021 and had just received a new contract extension — meant the natural next step for him was to become a leader for the Bucs.

Sure enough, when the captains were announced, Vita Vea’s name joined a group that included Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Devin White.

“Vita got a lot of votes,” Bowles said at the time. “He prepared very well, had a good offseason and came back in shape. And he shed some weight. He’s been leading the film room charges and he’s become a leader on this team and that speaks a lot about him.”

Vea has never come across as the type of leader to be loud and hungry for the spotlight. Rather, he’s a lead-by-example type who lets his play and work ethic do the talking. And him showing up for voluntary OTAs to get some work in with his new defensive line mates is the latest example of that.

Bucs DT Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When the captain vote comes around later this summer, Vea is likely to see his name involved once again. Tristan Wirfs seems likely to replace Brady as an offensive captain, and Evans is a lock again. David is as well, but White may not be after his offseason trade request. That could open the door for Winfield, Carlton Davis III, Jamel Dean or potentially a third offensive captain — Ryan Jensen? — to join the group.

Regardless of where White stands, it would be somewhat of a shock to not see Vita Vea wear the “C” patch for a second straight season. He remains one of the key figures on Tampa Bay’s defense, which may serve as the team’s strength once again in 2023.

And with David’s career winding down and White’s Bucs future so uncertain, Vea’s role as a leader of the future suddenly feels like a major one. Coming off of a career-high 6.5 sacks and looking slimmer and ready to go in 2023, Vea appears up to the task.