Todd Bowles Raves About Calijah Kancey, Says Vita Vea Was Rusty And Lacking Technique
September 16th, 2026
Vita Vea got a raise. What he didn’t get was a strong review for his play on Sunday.
Yes, four of six Buccaneers captains let the team down in Cincinnati. Leadership!
That really frosts Joe, Alex Anzalone, Baker Mayfield, Tristan Wirfs and Vea all had subpar games. Some might even say Mayfield and Anzalone were awful. And Mayfield and Vea are the two highest paid players on the team.
Man, if two of those four guys had a strong or solid day, Joe could make a case the Bucs would have won the game.
So what about Vea?
Todd Bowles reviewed his defensive line on the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday.
“I thought [Calijah] Kancey played his butt off. I thought Kancey played well,” Bowles said. “Vita’s conditioning was fine. He still has got to get his fundamentals down as far as his hand placement. I thought A’Shawn [Robinson] played very tough up in there. So I thought those guys, A’Shawn played well. Vita played well athletically, but he’s gotta get the rust off and you gotta get his technique back.”
Rust? Technique? Vea got his new contract 25 days prior to Sunday’s kickoff? He practiced for weeks and was involved in the joint practice with the Jaguars.
Rust? Pfffft!
September 16th, 2026 at 10:44 am
Bowles can come up with every excuse. Dog eats their homework every week. Pathetic.
September 16th, 2026 at 10:45 am
Blah, blah, blah… Mid-level talent + subpar coaching = 7-10.
September 16th, 2026 at 10:46 am
Not giving starters SOME playing time in the pre-season results in lousy performance in the season opener
September 16th, 2026 at 10:47 am
Time for the Captains to lead!! Especially, lead by example. VV50 didn’t practice most of camp! He will get better as time goes on. He better!!
September 16th, 2026 at 10:49 am
Played Well?
Clueless
Joe Burrow was the least pressured QB in the league last Sunday.
That- despite the fact that we blitzed more than most teams
I had to listen to Bowles rave about Joe Tryon whatever. Then he raved about Logan Hall.
For several years, I’ve had to listen to Bowles rave about YaYa Diaby, and now Calijah Kancey.
Does Bowles know that those guys are paid to sack the QB?
Bowles and Licht both have to go. We waited a year too long.
September 16th, 2026 at 10:51 am
It’s hilarious how these players are fighting for Bowles because he’s not a hard ass. They somehow believe that a group of 25-30 yrs old multi millionaires can motivate themselves vs a coach that would make them accountable. Love Bruce Arians but how did he not see that Bowles isn’t head coach material?
September 16th, 2026 at 10:52 am
well Baker practiced all spring & summer and looked very “rusty” lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
September 16th, 2026 at 10:57 am
we lost a one score game with all those fumbles. There’s plenty of blame to go around but Baker has to own that one.
September 16th, 2026 at 10:57 am
Vea is “lacking technique”?
WTF?
What a completely BS – IDIOTIC – thing to say…
How long has this fat arse been in the NFL?
How much money is he making?
FU!!!!!!!!!!!!
FU!!!!!!!!!!!!
FU!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 16th, 2026 at 10:59 am
Joe Says:
I believe Wirfs is the 2nd highest at ~28 million per season.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:04 am
I laughed when ppl said Yaya was a stud he doesn’t have it and is simply a motor rusher
September 16th, 2026 at 11:06 am
Drug test the HC\DC please. He’s out of his gourd.
He thinks a zero effort non existent pass rush is fantastic.
Ask Cousins and Ewers how it looks from their side.
You’d think a defensive guru could actually coach defense.
Not in Tampa.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:13 am
On occasional plays I’ll focus in on a certain player if camera angle allows or on replays. Via didn’t look like he has any of his old quickness or spirit. Wirfs looked slow. Anzalone didn’t look as bad as advertised to my eye but I didn’t pay much attention to him. Neither safety impressed me much, but Smith played ok I guess.Bowles still has the corners give way too much cushion, but they mostly played well anyway. Even the announcer was appalled by the excess room they gave near the goal line. But I must say: the fumbles are what killed us. Take away Trotters pick six and that game is a channel switcher for sure. Oh, untill his fumble Bucky fought like heck.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:19 am
I never did focus on Kancey, but he sure never exactly caught my eye either.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:27 am
🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱
September 16th, 2026 at 11:28 am
Players Coach = Zero Accountability
September 16th, 2026 at 11:38 am
Keep telling yourself we lost a one score game. It was at 21-3 in the first quarter, game over. People raving about our secondary holding Chase, and Higgins, what fools. They easily beat us without needing them to produce, let that sink in. We are now 2-8 in our last 10 games for those thinking this loss was no big deal. Looked like a continuation of last years slide to me. Don’t worry though, Licht put together a SB roster, lead by what he believes is a coach who can win it all. So far, no good.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Vita Vea is only good when he chooses to be. Hall of Fame talent, but below average motivation. Now that he got paid, I’m not expecting much. Just saying.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:43 am
Capt. Tim, a year too long !? 2 or 3 years too long for Bowles. Bucs would have 1 more division banner than they do and a few more wins.
Keep gassing up your guys Todd! Make sure you are invited to their family BBQ.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Bowles needs to stop talking, stop making excuses for players. As always, he holds no one accountable
September 16th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Hodad,
The Bucs were down 6 at the 3:19 mark having just scored. Bucs defense needed to stop Bengals for a series or two and get the ball back to the offense. As usual, the Bucs defense was offensive and couldn’t get the ball back. This is a hallmark of a Todd Bowles non defense. At least Mayfield was trying to compensate for horrible O line pass protection. Nevertheless that game remained winnable right up to the end. Nobody here acknowledges the pathetic non defense in the last 3 minutes.
September 16th, 2026 at 11:59 am
“The Bengals’ revamped defensive line, with Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen, dominated a very good Buccaneers offensive line for most of the day and had Baker Mayfield scrambling all day.”
Attention all you Baker haters. This is what objective observers of the game say.
September 16th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Objectivity would consider that th3 leader of your team failed to secure the ball, continues to make poor decisions (holding ball too long, trying for 1 more yd, stupidly running out there to block on the first drive of the game), and doesn’t seem able to throw more than 10 yds to start the season before you start making excuses
September 16th, 2026 at 12:28 pm
I get the Bengals have a “revamped DL,” but stupid is as stupid does regardless of outside contributing factors
September 16th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Todd Bowles … ‘I thought [Calijah] Kancey played his butt off. I thought A’Shawn [Robinson] played very tough up in there. Vita played well athletically, but he’s gotta get the rust off and you gotta get his technique back.’
The ENTIRE Bucs’ DLine had 6 tackles (3 solo, 3 assists), 0 sacks, 3 QB hits & 0 TFLs. ALL but 1 of the tackles were by A’Shawn who IMO did in fact play ‘very tough’ in there. The rest probably didn’t even need a shower after the game.
Vea had 1 QB hit in his 44 snaps; that’s it. Kancey had 1 QB hit in his 40 snaps; that’s it. RNR had 16 snaps and got 1 assist tackle. Roberts had 16 snaps also but got 0 stats. Robinson was the hero of the DLine Sunday; he got 1 QB hit plus 5 tackles (3 solo & 2 assists) in his 32 snaps (he was played on only 50% of the total snaps). Capehart & Simmons apparently didn’t even suit up.
I’m still puzzled why we used only 2 DLine guys on the majority of our plays (Nickel was used on almost 3/4ths of our plays). We did however use 2 OLBs on all plays, and apparently rushed 4 on the majority of plays. Our pass rush was virtually non-effective IMO because it lacked BEEF … and tenacity. In the plays I focused on him, Vea got virtually no penetration. I assume that Kancey was probably paired with him, and if Vea gets no penetration, Kancey most of the time probably wasn’t either. Bain & Diaby got ‘handled’ well by the Cincy OLine, but Muhammad at least got 2 QB knockdowns.
September 16th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
All of a sudden he forgets how to place his hand in the dirt? Nonsense! It was lack of effort. And he should be called out got it.
September 16th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
Take my upvote, DR
September 16th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
I was looking at PFF grades for the Bucs
Kancey was the 3rd highest graded player at 83.3
Only Trotter and Morrison was higher
Kancey had 2 QB hits, 2 pressures in 40 snaps
Vita Vea should be rusty, the guy refuse to practice
Forcing the Bucs to give him an extension, he even demanded to be traded
And Licht and Bowles fell for it
They should have sent him packing
September 16th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Last season it was obvious Reddick was washed up early in the season, but yet Bucs kept him out there all season.
If Anzalone does not show more very quickly the Bucs cannot make the same mistake and leave him out there all season.
September 16th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
Of course he looked rusty, he has a back injury!
September 16th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
Good thing he spent time with N. Sue before camp honing his craft and getting himself ready for the season…lol!
September 16th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
It was a one score game because the Bengals don’t have a good HC
The Bengals could’ve dropped 50 on the Bucs
But Zach Taylor is not a good HC
He’s still riding that one Super Bowl appearance
September 16th, 2026 at 1:03 pm
Apparently, VV played 44 of the 64 defensive snaps last week – according to PR. I guess his technique in the scheme will improve with more snaps. Right Coach Kit Kat?
September 16th, 2026 at 1:13 pm
bucs should trade godwin to the chiefs
September 16th, 2026 at 1:14 pm
Maybe I need to go back and re-watch the game because I only saw Kancey close to the quarterback once, and that was when Trotter got his sack. Maybe he played well but where is the constant pressure on the QB. He was one of the guys getting stood up at the line of scrimmage by the Bengals offensive line.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Vita sat out almost the entire camp. Yes, he’s rusty.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Lakeland Says:
“It was a one score game because the Bengals don’t have a good HC
The Bengals could’ve dropped 50 on the Bucs
But Zach Taylor is not a good HC
He’s still riding that one Super Bowl appearance”
Taylor is still a better HC than Bowels. And Todd will never sniff the SB as a HC.
The guru will be fired after the dumpster fires known as the 2026 season.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Vita is a veteran, so why would he need to get his technique back again? It’s got to be more than that. He missed mini camp and left his mental mentality elsewhere. We are not getting the complete story. .He needs to play as if his contract is dependent on good play in order for him to get paid.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:20 pm
I guess I shouldn’t have surgery because my surgeon has been on vacation. Total BS. If you’re a seasoned professional it should be like riding a bike. You don’t forget fundamentals.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:27 pm
One player cost the Bucs that game.
Baker Mayfield.
If Bum Baker isn’t a complete disaster, the Bucs pretty easily win that game.
The only other bum player worth mentioning is Analzone who was horrifically bad. Ryan Smith / Chris Conte level bad. He was trash. But even with him singlehandedly giving the Bengals life on drive after drive, his awful play still would not have mattered if Bum Baker didn’t have such a disastrous game.
I expect a giant turnaround on Sunday against a Browns team that was destroyed by the Jags… Lawrence had 220 yards and 4 TDs on the first drive after halftime – before Coen shut the offense down after going up 31-0. There are no excuses left for Baker not to put up some huge numbers.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:31 pm
CosmoKramer
Zac Taylor is 53-63 as a NFL HC
Zac and Bowles stinks as Head Coaches
And as l said, if Cincinnati had a decent HC, they would’ve dropped 50
The Bucs gifted them 3 quick turnovers, and the Bengals capitalized
They went up 21-3, they should have blowed the Bucs out the stadium
But, Zac got conservative, and they settled for 4 FGs the rest of the game
And they allowed the Bucs to get back into a game
A game that should’ve been over at halftime
Zach Taylor and Todd Bowles are 2 of the worst Head Coaches in the NFL
Both teams fanbase won’t them gone, and l blame them
September 16th, 2026 at 1:32 pm
Bowles defensive scheme will make Watson, look like pro bowl Texans Watson again. Happens everytime.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:33 pm
I don’t know what people expect Coach Bowles to say. Is he supposed to throw his best players under the bus after the first game of the season against a consensus Playoff contender, at their home opener? I know there is a history but some fans don’t seem to be able to separate history, from histrionics.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:34 pm
***And I don’t blame them**
September 16th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Week 1 overreaction train is in full effect.
After the Bucs destroy the Browns, I’m sure that haters will say it’s just The Browns. Wait for it
Lots of disappointing individual efforts in Sunday to be sure, but lots of really good teams with good HC had far worse Sundays.
NE lost badly to a team with their back up QB.
The Rams and McVay, got smoked after spending tons of money this off-season.
Denver and Payton were destroyed by KC.
GB and Lafleur lost to The Vikings with their backup QB.
Week 1 was great, but I’m not sure it was the disaster most are making it out to be.
Now if they have a repeat performance Sunday, pickup the phone and see if Tomlin is ready to coach again.
September 16th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
When none of the other guys were getting any pressure on Burrow, at least Todd had the common sense to see if David Walker had any juice.
Just kidding. Todd didn’t give Walker one snap on defense.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Fanofdabucs Says:
After the Bucs destroy the Browns, I’m sure that haters will say it’s just The Browns. Wait for it
—-
Well the Jags were literally beating the Browns 31-0 on the first drive after half-time.
So yes, it’s just the Browns.
But if the Bucs can destroy the Browns, and Baker doesn’t look like a disaster yet again, then most Bucs fans will feel a lot better about things. Let’s just hope that happens.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
HeartyDickerson Says:
September 16th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
When none of the other guys were getting any pressure on Burrow
———-
Dummy, you do know Burrow didn’t have a good day, right?
Additionally, Burrow was getting the ball out very quickly, under 2.5 seconds – he wasn’t just standing back there patting the ball, looking down his receivers for 5 seconds like Baker was. When a QB is getting rid of the ball that quickly, it’s pretty difficult to get pressure on them – and even then, the Bucs defense did a really good job keeping a top offense in check, only giving up 16 points when the Bengals got the ball on their side of the field – and the Bucs defense scored 7 points on top of that.
The boring idiots always complaining about Bowles, who never once have anything interesting or original to say – you picked a bad week to spam your slop. Wait until the defense has a bad week, then bore everyone with the same copy and pasted nonsense you’ve been posting for 7 years.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
I was extremely happy to see very strong play from the cornerback room especially seeing signs of life from morrison and also mccollum (not being noted… wth?) oh and trotter is a superstar.
I still believe in this d-line… maybe the vea and anzalone being rusty and not playing well was partly due to not seeing the field in the pre-season? bain’s shoulder?
idk but i’d rather lose week 1 than go through a mid season slump… fingers crossed things tighten up. in 2020 it took the team a while to put it together.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
mccollum *not being *bored…
September 16th, 2026 at 2:18 pm
meant to say: mccollum *not being *bored…
September 16th, 2026 at 2:47 pm
How many veterans were “rusty”? Why weren’t these guys ready to play? I wish the Bucs would hire somebody whose job would be to get these guys ready to play…Like a decent Coach would.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:49 pm
The HC is rusty, too. It’s been many years since he actually did his job.
September 16th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Diva Vea is a joke. That fatas$ didn’t practice because he “sat in”, and now the results are clear. He hurt the team. That dude is a “me first” kind of guy. I wish we’d traded him. He’s Antonio Brown 2.0. Vea can go F himself.
September 16th, 2026 at 3:00 pm
PFF Tribe said Kancey had 2 hurries, 2 QB hits for 4 pressures in 40 snaps
And l agree with them
If not for Joe Burrow quit release, Kancey would have sacked him
They gave Kancey a 83.3 grade
4th among all defensive lineman
September 16th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
My question to Joe and all the coaches on this site. , is there any facts to players being a little rusty by not really playing doing the pre season. I do know the first team played about 10 to 12 plays the entire preseason. I haven’t played football since my freshman year in high school so I want comment about weather it seems to be fact or fiction I did see where a lot of the team did play their starter at least a quarter
September 16th, 2026 at 3:21 pm
Kancey had 2 hurries, 2 hits. PFF assigned him an 83 for the day. Vita had A pressure and A hit in 44 snaps, PFF gives him a 59.8
September 16th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
813bucboi Says:
September 16th, 2026 at 10:52 am
well Baker practiced all spring & summer and looked very “rusty” lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
——————–
This is what I meant by trolling in the previous thread (not sure Joe is going to let it thru)..
Topic is Kancey and Vita and defense, right? But the above isn’t trolling? You ain’t that dumb bro.
September 16th, 2026 at 3:51 pm
Rod Munch Says:
September 16th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
HeartyDickerson Says:
September 16th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
When none of the other guys were getting any pressure on Burrow
———-
Dummy, you do know Burrow didn’t have a good day, right?
Additionally, Burrow was getting the ball out very quickly, under 2.5 seconds – he wasn’t just standing back there patting the ball, looking down his receivers for 5 seconds like Baker was.
God you’re a simplistic idiot. So I guess if a QB gets the ball out quickly, there is no hope for a defense, huh? There is no answer for a defense when this happens? I guess Joe Burrow was the first QB to come up with this genius idea and the only one to get the ball out quickly on Sunday? Guess that’s why the Bucs had the lowest pressure in the league.
But tell everyone for the millionth time how it was all Baker’s fault. It’s always Baker’s fault. Fuqqin moron
September 16th, 2026 at 4:03 pm
Simple T
how is that trolling when Joe himself mentioned baker in the article:
That really frosts Joe, Alex Anzalone, Baker Mayfield, Tristan Wirfs and Vea all had subpar games. Some might even say Mayfield and Anzalone were awful.
cmon dude, trying reading
GO BUCS!!!!
September 16th, 2026 at 4:06 pm
All fun and games over at 1 buc place u see baker today in the Michigan gear? All smiles and grab ass secessions. A team will always take on the persona of its head coach!
September 16th, 2026 at 4:18 pm
Leave it to Beaver Bowles. Pathetic coach/ He knows every excuse in the book,,,,Fumblementals is it. He has had a lifetimeof excuses.
September 16th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
Munch is a plant. Cheerleader to avoid banning by mods.
September 16th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
im avoiding most comments…a waste of time…evryone blaming Baker, and yeah, he deserved a little this game….but Todd’s D scheme deserves much more….ALL THE DAM TIME, TE or someone open over the middle gets the gain!!!…I saw that TE run past 3 defenders who looked lost and not 1 would try to man cover him, WHILE THEY WERE CLOSE TO HIM, WTH?… WHO WERE THEY COVERING??? GHOSTS?!?!???
Its all good, should win the next three (BAKER!!!!!)
September 16th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
I wasnt for extending either. You gota be consistently good to eat up that much cap room at your postion. Vea is on the decline and baker turns it over too much. They overpaid on both. Lets hope they play well more than not
September 16th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Kancey played well?
He had zero impact on the game. 0s across the board.