Let’s talk about Vita Vea, shall we?

The more exciting periods of the Bucs offseason are over with, as pre-draft scouting, free agency, the NFL Draft, OTAs and mini-camps are over. That means it’s time to settle in for what feels like the longest of waits before training camp gets underway in late July.

The dog days of the NFL offseason are all about storylines for the upcoming season. Media and fans alike spend the days of June and July passing the time with discourse surrounding all sorts of rankings, as well as the big stories that are bound to come up when the season begins in September.

So, with that in mind, the idea here is to narrow in on some of the Bucs’ biggest stars and go player-by-player to dive into the big storylines that are in store for the 2024 season. After taking a look at six players on offense (quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, running back Rachaad White, tight end Cade Otton and left tackle Tristan Wirfs), we flip over to the defense today and start with nose tackle Vita Vea.

Bucs Storylines: Vita Vea

Here are three big storylines surrounding Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea in 2024:

Will Vita Vea’s Offseason Body Transformation Lead To The Desired Results?

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

Vita Vea’s body transformation was one of the big stories of the Bucs’ summer, as the 29-year-old nose tackle arrived to the AdventHealth Training Center slimmer and in overall better shape after putting in some hard work this offseason. The big man spent part of his offseason training with former Buccaneer Ndamukong Suh, and it looks to have paid off in a big way as general manager Jason Licht, head coach Todd Bowles and others have raved about the condition Vea is currently in.

Vea didn’t share just how much weight he lost during the offseason, and considering he’s been listed at 347 pounds since he was drafted in 2018, trying to quantify the transformation he’s gone through since the end of the 2023 season is ultimately futile. Of course, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is whether slimming down and (forgive the cliché) entering the season in the best shape of his career will lead to the desired results that Vea and the Bucs are looking for.

There are several ways this could pay off for Tampa Bay’s No. 50. Carrying less weight than he has in past seasons could help him avoid some of the lower-body injuries that have impacted his availability and effectiveness. That can then have an immediate effect on his ability to play a higher percentage of snaps for the Buccaneer defense and a long-term effect of prolonging his career. That was a large part of the idea behind Vea going to work out with Suh this offseason, as the former Buc played deep into his 30s and remained effective.

But beyond staying on the field and prolonging his career lifespan, Vea will look to translate his body transformation into better and more consistent play. He was already ridiculously quick for his size, and his power certainly hasn’t been an issue. But with the way he’s taken care of his body this offseason, he could be even quicker this season while maintaining his impressive play strength. That has to be a scary proposition for opposing centers and guards.

Can Vita Vea Reach A Dominant Level In 2024?

Bucs DT Vita Vea and Titans QB Will Levis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs are pleased that Vita Vea returned to One Buc Place this summer in such good shape, as they — namely defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers — want the veteran nose tackle to take his game to another level in 2024. He’s long been a very good player for Tampa Bay, but Rodgers spoke earlier this summer about wanting him to be “the dominant guy” rather than “the good guy.”

Vea certainly has been good throughout his six years in red and pewter. He eats up double teams on the interior of the defensive line and stuffs the run well, plus he has progressed as a pass rusher over the years. He went from 2-3 sacks per season earlier in his career to a four-sack Pro Bowl season in 2021, a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2022 and another 5.5 sacks in 2023.

But Rodgers and the Bucs want Vea to be even more dominant in 2024 as he plays out his age-29 season. The longtime defensive line coach pointed to Vea’s strong hands and said when he uses them correctly and plays with proper technique, he’s hard to stop. That’s what Tampa Bay needs more of in 2024.

Vea had a good season in 2023, posting 5.5 sacks over 15 games and a career-high 43 tackles. But nagging injuries hampered his effectiveness at points throughout the season, and he went especially quiet down the stretch. His final sack of the season came on Nov. 19, meaning he played six more games during the regular season without taking down the quarterback. Not only that, but he didn’t register a quarterback hit during that span either. It was ultimately the tale of two seasons for Vea:

Vea’s first nine games in 2023: 31 tackles (23 solo), 5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles
Vea’s last six games in 2023: 12 tackles (five solo), 0 sacks, 0 quarterback hits, 0 tackles for loss, 0 forced fumbles

The Bucs want Vea to take his play to a more consistent and more dominant level this season. The question is whether he’ll be able to do so as he nears 30, but that’s where his productive offseason comes into play yet again. Perhaps he can reach that next level and earn his second career Pro Bowl nod.

How Much Will Vita Vea Benefit From Playing Next To An Even Better Calijah Kancey?

Bucs DTs Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

One of the big pluses that came with the Bucs drafting Calijah Kancey with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 Draft was what it could open up for Vita Vea. The two are very different players with different body types, but together they form a formidable duo of defensive linemen.

During Kancey’s rookie season in 2023, there were signs of everything coming together as Tampa Bay hoped it would. Opposing offensive lines had to account for both Vea and Kancey, and both guys often opened up opportunities for the other. Vea praised his younger teammate this summer, noting that his quickness and athleticism draws attention from the opposition and creates chances for him to get into the backfield.

Of course, the early days of the Vea-Kancey duo producing good results was especially encouraging considering Kancey’s stunted development early on. The former Pitt standout suffered a calf strain during the first padded practice of training camp, which cost him the chance to get valuable camp reps. It also kept him out of the team’s preseason games and while he briefly played during Week 1, he ended up having to exit again and then missed the next three games before coming back in Week 6.

So, given that playing alongside an inexperienced Kancey helped Vea in 2023 despite Kancey missing so much valuable time, it’s going to be intriguing to see how much benefit the veteran gets from playing next to a more experienced and more seasoned Kancey in 2024. The second-year defensive lineman has 16 NFL games under his belt now, plus he’s gotten a full offseason so far to continue sharpening his game. By the time the regular season rolls around, the Bucs will have an even better Kancey to plug in next to an even better Vea. That should lead to even better results for Todd Bowles’ defense and for Vea himself.