Planet Vea
November 27th, 2019
Tuna connection with Bucs.
Maybe it was in Jason Licht’s horoscope?
The Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager took a lot of heat nearly two years ago when he picked monster defensive tackle Vita Vea in the first round after trading down with Buffalo.
A large number of Florida State Bucs fans hollered themselves hoarse with outrage that Licht would select a glorified nose tackle instead of safety Derwin James.
This James had a helluva rookie season for the Los Angeles Chargers and Vea started out terribly after getting hurt early in training camp. By the end of the season, Vea showed signs he could be dominant.
This season has been a flip for both players. Vea has blossomed into one of the best defensive tackles in the game and James has just been reactivated from the injury reserve list.
In fact, follicly-challenged Billy Barnwell of BSPN, a spreadsheeter, actually believes Vea is one of the most underrated players in the NFL.
So why did Licht draft Vea over James, aside from the obvious? Well, Barnwell said Licht’s move was a classic Bill Parcells trick and may also explain why the Bucs drafted O.J. Howard the previous year.
Vea was too much of a freak human being to pass up.
Vea made headlines Sunday for catching a touchdown pass during Tampa’s 35-22 win in Atlanta, but there’s more to the former first-round pick than a soft set of hands. Vea has combined with Ndamukong Suh to disrupt opposing rushing attacks this season. The Bucs are a mess of a pass defense, but they lead the league in just about every rushing category this season. On Sunday, they held the Falcons’ running backs to 34 yards on 17 carries, with just three of those runs resulting in first downs.
The former Washington standout added a sack and two passes defensed to his totals against the Falcons, although he’s admittedly still a work in progress as a pass-rusher, where his limited wingspan may play against him. Vea is more realistically an example of the old George Young/Bill Parcells “Planet Theory” approach to the draft, where you recognize that there are only so many 300-plus pound human beings with truly elite athleticism on the planet and draft them when you see them.
Vea, who was a change-of-pace running back in high school, is the sort of player Parcells would have loved. He’s quickly growing into a rare difference-maker for the Bucs’ defense.
The front-seven of the Bucs is good, maybe damn good. And who anchors that front seven? Vea. The guy just ragdolls offensive linemen and often takes on two at a time with seemingly effortless energy.
Could the Bucs have used James as a safety? Sure, but at the time did anyone envision Justin Evans’ career to be all but finished due to injuries?
Besides, the Bucs needed help on the interior of the defensive line as Gerald McCoy was on his last legs and proved to have played his final season in Tampa Bay in Vea’s rookie year.
Yeah, there may be diehard Florida State James’ fans out there. But you cannot remotely suggest Licht whiffed on drafting Vea.
There is nothing @VitaVea can’t do on a football field. I took a closer look at the impact he made in Atlanta on Sunday to show just that. #Bucsfilm2019wk12 #PlayByPlayByCheah pic.twitter.com/SvImXapGWa
— Steven Cheah (@StevenCheah) November 27, 2019
November 27th, 2019 at 12:55 am
[Thanks. Joe’s a stickler for that. Can’t believe it got by Joe. — Joe]
November 27th, 2019 at 12:59 am
Double V is only getting started. This guy will be dominant for years to come.
November 27th, 2019 at 1:20 am
As much as people like to hate on Licht’s drafting…
Vita Vea (as unpopular as it was at the time) is turning out to be an AMAZING draft pick.
And how about that late 3rd Round pick… only 10-12 picks away from actually being a 4th Round pick… for a guy named…
CHRIS GODWIN
Yes, Licht certainly HAS whiffed on many of his picks. But give credit where credit is due… Vea may turn out to be one of the best D-linemen in the entire NFL. And who knows… Chris Godwin could really be special… he has shown flashes of play that are definitely ELITE.
And these guys are only 24 & 23 years old.
November 27th, 2019 at 1:29 am
Yes it is true that he has made our team better by adding these 2 players. +2 -10 EQUALS. “TRASH” LICHT
Im taking math this semester
November 27th, 2019 at 1:44 am
Can vea play 1 full season at a consistently high level before desperate low standard bucfan labels vea a dominant beast. haven’t you fools been embarrassed enough falling for players who have made a few good plays than nothing. especially injury prone unproven young players like vea. You people sure love setting yourselves up for nut punches year after year.
November 27th, 2019 at 2:10 am
I predicted after his rookie season that when both guys have finished their careers, Vita would be more beloved among Bucs fans than McCoy. Assuming he stays healthy, he’s got the ability to put together rare and incredible moments like the tossing around of linemen or Sunday’s touchdown. He just has the feel of a player like Alstott who will just make us feel good watching his man-amongst-boys highlights years or even decades later. And his tenure would have to be pretty damn grim to not yield more team success than the GMC era
November 27th, 2019 at 2:15 am
Seriously, can somebody name a better game by McCoy off the top of their head than the one Vea had Sunday? I’m trying and failing.
November 27th, 2019 at 3:55 am
We need a veteran’s presence in the secondary locker room, and there’s no better veteran secondary player available than Eric Berry.
Imagine Jordan Whitehead and Mike Edwards learning from a 3x All-Pro player who still has gas in the tank.
Instant improvement! Sign Eric Berry!
November 27th, 2019 at 5:15 am
The Vea pick was one of the few picks of Licht’s I was all in on. I’ll never fault a GM for drafting trenches.
November 27th, 2019 at 6:34 am
The GM mirrors his QB
Great pick followed by a head scratcher
Has an entire draft class disappear in 3 years
But drafts Evans, Marpet, Vea, Whitehead, Godwin
Wild swings in quality picks from year to year and round to round
Sound familiar?
November 27th, 2019 at 6:52 am
@hodad.
Once again, you are correct.
We got the best DT in the draft at the #12 spot.
The best DTs usually go in the top 5.
Vita Vea was an amazing pick.
We need to draft another DT next year in the first round.
A RT in the second.
November 27th, 2019 at 7:07 am
Vea, White and Dean the cornerstones to the next great Bucs defense. Draft a safety and a pass rusher and we are back to the “give me 17 points a game” and we are in every game.
November 27th, 2019 at 7:31 am
With an aging GMC on the roster,Vea.
was a right place ,right time pick.
Suh is a better complement to this style of defense
than GMC would have been and oh yeah he knows what to do when there’s
a ball on the ground. I would keep his veteran presence here if it could
be worked out.
November 27th, 2019 at 7:55 am
Pick 6, sorry but “more beloved than GMC” isn’t a measurement for succes. Here are posters who love a giant pimple on their forehead more.
November 27th, 2019 at 8:31 am
only FSU fans cried and complained when VV was selected…..lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
November 27th, 2019 at 8:33 am
Pick6 Says:
November 27th, 2019 at 2:15 am
“Seriously, can somebody name a better game by McCoy off the top of their head than the one Vea had Sunday? I’m trying and failing. ”
He had several multiple sack games in his career, though I can’t remember which ones.
Vea didn’t have THAT great a game.
November 27th, 2019 at 8:34 am
Vea was #1 on my wishlist that year, so I was happy. Still am.
November 27th, 2019 at 8:39 am
“Wins and losses are dictated by the
Offensive line
What is the consistent factor in every JW/bucs win?
Offensive line protection
Defensive Coords know if You give JW protection
They will lose
Nonstop blitz/pressure and hit JW
Bucs opponents win”
Kobe Faker
November 27th, 2019 at 9:02 am
Didn’t Licht also sign Brate and Hump (who is being wasted in TN)? Sick of the stupid Licht haters.
November 27th, 2019 at 9:07 am
Talk to me when Vea is first team All-Pro
November 27th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Who is this “Gerald McCoy” referenced in this article?
November 27th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Kobe, didn’t you promise to leave JBF?
November 27th, 2019 at 9:46 am
Kobe
Is dead on….
Glazers and licht have set jameis up for failure with this high school level offensive line…. Jensen is ok and cappa has shown toughness butt the other 3 marpet, d smith and Dotson are closer to lady boys than nfl quality offensive lineman… one of the Joe’s apologies and defends this pathetic offensive line like they are his own kids….no objectivity maybe even less objective than coverage cancer93 received…
November 27th, 2019 at 10:52 am
“Pass rush is a mess”??? Don’t have all my numbers in front of me but I know we dropped Matty Ice 6 times and Shaq Barrett leads the league in sacks.
Vea gets a big highlight, this guy does a little research on him and has no clue about anything else. Classic BSPN National analyst on the Bucs.
November 27th, 2019 at 11:03 am
Vea does look good. I want the Bucs to have a strong defensive line and offensive line and the way to that is through the draft.
The Bucs probably should draft another dlineman high next year to go along with at least two offensive linemen.
November 27th, 2019 at 11:04 am
#Repost
LUVMYBUCS Says:
January 24th, 2018 at 8:48 am←
I’ll say it again if Quenton Nelson is off the board trade down for Vita Vea.
#TrenchWarFare
November 27th, 2019 at 11:17 am
#Repost
LUVMYBUCS Says:
January 7th, 2018 at 10:06 am←
IMHO
-Bradley Chubb
-Quenton Nelson
If both are off the board
Trade Down for NT Vita Vea
#TrenchWarFare
November 27th, 2019 at 11:51 am
Loved the Vea pick back then, love it even more now!
Mount Vea!!!!
November 27th, 2019 at 1:10 pm
VitaVea rocks …. bill parcells always said you are what your record says you are….
November 27th, 2019 at 4:12 pm
I remember sitting in a pub having an ice cold beer when they took Vita vea. I jumped out of my chair pump my fist and said oh yeah baby! Everybody looked at me like I was crazy. What an awesome pick. This dude is just getting started. You can’t block him. I love him and Suh in the middle of this defense. I hope they pick up Suh next year. Once these DB’s develop this is going to be terrific here.
November 27th, 2019 at 5:42 pm
Mark Cook dose not speak for all FSU fans.
November 27th, 2019 at 6:23 pm
Big Vea definitely adds excitement to the Bucs program. Take him out and leave a whole lot less run stuffing.
November 27th, 2019 at 7:34 pm
Vea is fun to watch.
17 carries isn’t a whole bunch. Won’t know the true value of the DLine until the secondary is more solid. Really hoping they build upon last weeks game and not have a Buccaneer meltdown.
November 27th, 2019 at 11:43 pm
Licht nailed the Vita pick but it doesn’t make up for his mistakes in the draft and especially free agency. Dudes gotta go.
November 27th, 2019 at 11:52 pm
It’s important to note that Gerald McCoy’s most productive game in about 5 years in terms of sacks was….
This year vs the bucs where he had 2.5 sacks!!
The dude put more energy into revenge VS Tampa than he has WITH Tampa in over 5 years!!
So glad he’s gone.
November 27th, 2019 at 11:59 pm
It’s important to also note all of licht’s good picks, free agents and undrafted finds. (some of which had derailed careers)
Vea white Howard Evans brate beckwith rojo Whitehead j Evans cappa Jensen marpet brate humphries Godwin Barrett jpp gay Dean Davis Suh etc
Now you can criticize some of these all you want but they’ve all had solid impacts and/or bright futures. He’s not as bad imo as some try to convey. I’d throw jameis in there but we all know how people will whine about that.