Dirk Koetter Talks Vita Vea Weight Loss, Return
September 14th, 2018
Hey, how bout a Vita Vea update for the legions of fans starving for news on the Buccaneers’ first-round rookie manbeast, the No. 12 overall pick?
Joe’s got it!
Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network tonight, Dirk Koetter was asked about Vea’s challenge when he returns, whenever that may be.
Koetter emphasized that an injured veteran like Brent Grimes can come back to the team and contribute immediately without missing a beat, but things will be different for Vea.
“In Vita’s case, because he has missed so much practice, it’ll be challenging for him to get back into the football mode,” Koetter said.
But it’ll just be an awareness thing, Koetter said, Vea is expected to hit the ground running physically.
“Vita’s lost something like 15 pounds. … Conditioning in the pool, on the stationary bike. He’s working out like a maniac,” Koetter said, adding that the Bucs wanted Vea to lose those 15 pounds playing football but that didn’t work out.
Vea injured his calf about seven weeks ago during the first training camp practice in pads. Joe has been told that Vea is likely to start practicing next week.
Watch Derrick Brooks’ keys to Bucs-Eagles below:
September 14th, 2018 at 6:05 pm
great news, hopefully a full compliment in a couple weeks
September 14th, 2018 at 6:08 pm
just clicked to read this article and tampa 2 video started
September 14th, 2018 at 6:08 pm
As much as we want Vea to be back, it is not ideal. No need to rush the rook back. Well said, coach!
September 14th, 2018 at 6:12 pm
Let’s get it
September 14th, 2018 at 6:50 pm
So for the record. This is not our Secret Weapon… OR IS IT???
September 14th, 2018 at 7:16 pm
A 330 lb. dude losing 15 lbs. in Florida? I think that’s fantastic. He will be ready. I’m optimistic!
September 14th, 2018 at 7:26 pm
IF he was suiting up this Sunday he’d probably drop those 15 and 5 or 10 more on top of that. Would be great to see him out there by the Monday nighter
September 14th, 2018 at 7:59 pm
What is a Vita Vea?? Urbnan legend??
September 14th, 2018 at 8:09 pm
I’ll believe Vea practicing when there is a picture of him hitting a sled or something. What a disappointment he’s been so far.
September 14th, 2018 at 8:15 pm
stationery = writing paper, especially with matching envelopes.
stationary = immobile, not moving
tickrdr
Please delete this post, Joes.
September 14th, 2018 at 8:49 pm
He starts practicing next wed an comes back to play week 4 or after bye rather him all healed up an not re injure his calf rushing it
September 14th, 2018 at 8:49 pm
Hay joe,
where is scuttle bucs this year?
September 14th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
Can’t help but start wondering, just what did Licht see in this guy to use a first round draft pick on this guy? Sure sounds like he was out of shape and overweight coming in to camp.
Add him to RJII as a second round pick, and 2018’s draft is not looking anything like the alleged “grand slams” of 2016 and ‘17.
Enlighten me if I’m missing something fellow bloggers or Joe, because right now I’m just not “getting the strategy of the picks taken in the 2018’s draft class.
September 14th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
They must have been listening to my posts about him being morbidly obese. If they can get him down to severely obese that’s a step in the right direction
September 14th, 2018 at 10:09 pm
If he is working out like a maniac on a bike, which uses that calf, then he must be mostly healed up.
September 14th, 2018 at 10:17 pm
Last year the Vikings and Patriots torched the Saints young rookie corners in the first two games. But they got better and better and Lattimore ended up getting Def. Rookie of the year. I can see the same happening with our young corners. I would love to have Grimes back but the younguns are getting invaluable experience.
September 14th, 2018 at 10:18 pm
Even if he only plays 20 plays he will help the rotation against Pittsburgh
September 14th, 2018 at 10:21 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai
I just got over a calf strain(took about two months for me to get back to playing basketball and running).
Pool workouts and bike didn’t bother it much. The impact from running did though.
September 14th, 2018 at 10:25 pm
Unless of course Vita has an Achilles injury it’s hard for me to accept that the man just couldn’t handle the heat and they’re trying to get him acclimated. This is not a knock, this sun is brutal.
I expect him to come on strong towards the middle of the season.
September 14th, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Anyone remember when Joe Hawley lost a bunch of weight while he was hurt…. that didn’t work out too well. Linemen are supposed to be big, this may not be the positive that everyone thinks it is. Sounds more and more like Warren Sapp may have been on to something.
September 14th, 2018 at 10:38 pm
Fifteen pounds for him would be like 6 ounces for the average human. I am hearing that he has a partially torn Achilles
September 14th, 2018 at 11:26 pm
Lol go deep where are you hearing that from?
I’m not saying I doubt you but it’s just hard to imagine you have insight that Schefter or some others don’t have
September 14th, 2018 at 11:38 pm
And a calf strain is no joke. I missed 3 months of my soph year in college as a d1 athlete with a calf strain and I can tell you that a bike or elliptical or anything in the water does not even come close to replicating the effort needed when trying to play your sport at a high level. Any strain is a big deal let alone when you’re a 300+lb human playing football in the nfl.
I’m not defending the pick bc it’s a reach to assume a guy that big from the west coast can transition to the fl heat without any issues. In hindsight, There were a few that could have been picked and contributed right away but vea was our pick and I’m supporting him. I hope he can recover and help out our team this year and for years to come. So far it seems like we have something brewing down in Tampa and if he can get healthy, he will be a huge addition
If we can somehow get to 3-1 goig into the bye week and get vea grimes etc back then wow. Watch out
September 15th, 2018 at 12:10 am
Yeah…..
September 15th, 2018 at 2:17 am
(me too) Yeah….
September 15th, 2018 at 6:28 am
Viya is not obese, he is just solid. Swaggy was fat. Donald Penn was fat.
Some Polynesians simply have very large thick frames and are capable of carrying alot of weight.
Sapp had a big gut, Vea does not.
September 15th, 2018 at 8:12 am
tickrdr Says:
September 14th, 2018 at 8:15 pm
stationery = writing paper, especially with matching envelopes.
stationary = immobile, not moving
tickrdr
Please delete this post, Joes.
Pretty sure the rest of us knew what he meant. “The bike that does not move.” ” Your ” welcome.
September 15th, 2018 at 9:09 am
Am I missing something here. Joe says he will be back on the practice field in a couple of weeks. That doesn’t mean he will be ready to play in games. Furthermore Koetter says it will take time for a rookie like him to get up to speed. He missed the entire preseason, hasn’t played a snap of pro football, and we have posters acting like he might be back next week. It certainly sounds like we are still a long way off from seeing him suited up and playing on Sundays.
September 15th, 2018 at 9:13 am
SMH. I think some you seriously have big problems with reading comprehension. Joe says he is a couple of weeks away from practicing. Koetter says for a rookie like him it will take him time to get up to speed once he does return. It sounds like we are at least a month away from seeing him on the field and WAUSA says it would be nice to see him play 20 snaps or more in 8 days. So where did you get the idea that two weeks and then some more time equal 8 days???
September 15th, 2018 at 9:25 am
I agree DB55 – mid season people are going to see why you draft trenches over safety any and all day. Trenches when games and championships and safeties are good but you can scheme them out. Have people not learned yet???
September 15th, 2018 at 9:54 am
Vita looks like he lost weight in the pic above. He looks to be cutting his eyes to his right thinking what are they saying about me now.
September 15th, 2018 at 10:39 am
So Sapp was right, again.
September 15th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Warren Sapp was almost invisible his rookie year……
Just sayin’.
Oh and once again…..
Sapp’s my favorite Buc of all time…..so I’d NEVER slight the guy.
September 20th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Dang… at 2-0, with Grimes and Vea coming back, right now there is so little for the haters to hate on. Maybe they will shrivel off and blow away.