Week 1 Not Ruled Out (Yet) For Vea
August 31st, 2018
Bucs GM Jason Licht offers an update on Bucs rookie DT.
Right about now Joe wouldn’t be surprised to learn Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is having restless nights.
This preseason couldn’t have gone much worse for his first two draft picks short of both suffering knee injuries.
Defensive tackle and first-round pick Vita Vea missed virtually all of training camp and all of preseason when he suffered a calf injury on the first day the team practiced in pads.
And of course, second-round pick Ronald Jones, except for a pass play, has been completely invisible in preseason games with camp meat and undrafted free agent running backs having more production in games.
Jones, to Joe’s knowledge, is healthy and will be good to go when the Bucs travel to New Orleans to face the Saints a week from Sunday.
Vea’s status is still shrouded in intrigue. While in the broadcast booth of Thursday night’s final preseason game with the Jags, televised on WFLA-TV Channel 8, Licht did not shoot down a suggestion from play-by-play man Chris Myers that Vea could play next week.
However, Licht’s response sure sounded like the thought of Vea playing next Sunday is far-fetched.
Chris Myers: We are told there is still a chance [Vea] could play Opening Weekend.
Jason Licht: We are being extremely cautious, especially with a big man like that. We are going to make sure he is ready to play. We know enough about Vea to know what he can do so he can make a big impact for us.
Well, if the Bucs are being “extremely cautious,” it would appear to Joe that the Bucs want to ease him back into football shape first. Vea, outside of running in pads, hasn’t stepped on a practice field or even hit a sled much less an offensive guard in a month.
It seems like throwing Vea out onto an artificial turf field in a raucous dome in New Orleans with only a few practices under his belt is anything but being “extremely cautious.”
August 30th, 2018 at 11:53 pm
Something ain’t right here with Vea…
August 31st, 2018 at 12:04 am
Joe he hasn’t hit an opposing guard from another team at all since being in the NFL and they want to put him in week one. They are not going to put him in week one and if they do they’re idiots.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:04 am
I don’t think we are going to be seeing VEA The way we expected to
August 31st, 2018 at 12:09 am
“I WANT THE TRUTH!”-Bucs fans info on player injuries
“YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!”-Dirk and Jason
August 31st, 2018 at 12:18 am
saints are going to kill us
August 31st, 2018 at 12:21 am
You can’t handle what you don’t know
Not an attack
Just sayin…..
August 31st, 2018 at 12:43 am
He’s not playing week 1. Maybe he’ll get some snaps by week 3.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:57 am
Vea won’t play until after the bye week. Calling it now.
August 31st, 2018 at 6:13 am
Let’s see, missed all training camp and someone thinks they’d throw a very large, maybe not in playing shape guy into the mix ??? Formula for disaster.
August 31st, 2018 at 6:45 am
@ Chris in WA – Bucs want a constant rotation of D lineman to keep them fresh like Philly did last year. I think he will be get some second team snaps in the first or second game.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:19 am
If he misses the first game or twom but plays the rest of the season then it will be worth it!!!!!!!!!! You can go back to all of NFL GM Licht’s first round draft pick and no one made an impact in week 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The “real” fans see a team being built, not a complete roster!!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!! Fix the “real” problem, the roster!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 8:50 am
It’s not like it’s critical to have him playing right away. We have options. He’ll get his shot when he’s ready
August 31st, 2018 at 8:57 am
Jason should donate his 2018 earnings to a non-profit organization. Cmon man: drafting a kicker in the second round. Also, what was he thinking about when he took JW over Marcus M?
August 31st, 2018 at 9:01 am
@thebucrealist. Trust the coaches??? we haven’t been to playoffs in 11 years, why should we trust Licht and Dirk, Licht is one of the worst draft day GMs out there. WE DRAFTED A KICKER IN THE SECOND ROUND!!!!!!!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 9:12 am
@Jimbo Fisher …. aren’t you in Texas now? I’d worry more about the higher competition you have to be ready for in the SEC.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:17 am
Article was about Vita Vea, right?
I hope they get this kid healed up and playing soon.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:37 am
This mindset is drifting towards woe is us in a funk.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:43 am
I think they planned on working in Vea slowly anyway. The DL has enough depth that he would have been a backup for awhile.
But hey…we could’ve drafted Guice this year and we wouldn’t be worrying about ROJO…and we wouldn’t be having any conversations like this about Guice because he’s already out for the entire year!!! Does that make him a bust?
Does GMC’s injury plagued first two years here mean we should have dumped him? Oh from his third year on he’s averaged close to 15 games a year and 8 sacks per season…more than the five he had combined in his first two.
I’m not sure what some of you people are thinking!
“Something ain’t right here with Vea…”
DUH…yeah it’s called an injured calf!!! In GMC’s case it was an injured bicep.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:44 am
vita wont be back until Winston comes back….book it!!!!!….then it’ll take him 4weeks to get into “football shape”…..
d.smith wont be back until after the bye week….
this medical staff is full of SH!T!!!!!!…..the recovery time has been off with every player…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 9:45 am
Ha! 🙂
August 31st, 2018 at 11:10 am
I think they planned on working in Vea slowly anyway. The DL has enough depth that he would have been a backup for awhile.
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This Dline has been pathetic.. The depth’s of our depth remains to be seen.
So we spent our first round pick on a part time, work him in slowly, backup guy? Sheeesh!
When you consistently miss on draft picks in the first three rounds, you don’t stand much of a chance.
Please don’t use GMC to justify anything.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Ask Vita if he says he can go Play him! If he cant then no.. its pretty simple
August 31st, 2018 at 3:52 pm
So, there are positions where you need a lot of reps and have to learn assignments, eye-keys, adjustments, play calls and a lot of other things, many of them requiring subtlety and finesse. Being a two down zero or one tech 4-3 tackle isn’t one of them. You move people and don’t let yourself get moved. If you make a tackle or shove a guard back the the quarterback’s face, all the better, but you’re there to take up space, make it easier for LBs to hit the gaps, etc.
If he’s healthy, he should play as part of the eight man rotation.
September 1st, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Vea did not come to training camp Ready. Rumor is he was way over 350 and slow. He should have come in at 325 or better. He won’t be ready for week one. He’s not in shape either. Kinda a downer. But maybe he’s ready to go by game 3 or so. This is the NFl Vita Vea. You..gotta step it up or..Step out Brother. We want to see you kick some A.. in the NFl. Don’t let us down. Get well.