His numbers may not show it but Vita Vea is an invaluable piece of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.
As nose tackle, his role is to take the attention of multiple offensive linemen.
That way, Tampa Bay’s edge rushers will have an easier path toward the opposing quarterback.
Putting Vea one-on-one might not be a good idea because of his innate strength.
That attribute of his did not go unnoticed, as shown in the latest Madden NFL 23 rankings.
The video game’s official Twitter account has Vea at the number two spot in terms of defensive linemen strength.
His 98 rating is just second to Aaron Donald‘s 99.
Coincidentally, Vita replaced Donald in the 2021 Pro Bowl because the Los Angeles Rams made it to Super Bowl LVI.
However, the former Washington standout has been making waves for himself, especially during last season wherein he had 22 solo tackles and four sacks.
It’s a fantastic bounce back from his 2020 campaign wherein he only played five games due to a leg and ankle fracture.
Good Luck Stopping Vea
The worst part for other teams is that he has just begun and his best years lay ahead.
Even if their other veterans like Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are not on the roster anymore, Vea will keep on initiating their push from the trench to give Lavonte David, Devin White, and William Gholston free rein to sack the quarterback.
If his teammates tallied multiple sacks in a game, it means that Vea has done a phenomenal job in maintaining the threat from the middle.
With him in place, it will be tough for any quarterback to be at ease, especially when he gets a clear release from the line of scrimmage.
If Vea gets a sack, that play-caller will feel his full strength which might lead to injuries.
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