One of the league’s premier run stuffers has reportedly dropped a ton of weight this offseason.
According to Bucs GM Jason Licht, Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea has transformed his body and looks “fantastic” going into the new season.
“He grabbed me and said, ‘I’m going to take care of my body, and you’re going to see a new me,'” Licht shared via PewterReport.com. “I did know that he meant that, so we saw him a couple of weeks ago, we’ll see him here in a couple of weeks [at] mandatory minicamp and he looked fantastic.”
“I think he’s very dedicated to extending his career and playing at a high level and wanting to take care of his family,” the Tampa Bay exec continued. “But also he’s a great teammate and he wants to win here.”
Licht added that the 347-pound NT has been training with former teammate Ndamukong Suh which he loves to see.
“Suh has taken him under his wing and Ndamukong is a phenomenal person and if anyone knows how to take care of themselves it’s Ndamukong,” Licht explained. “Those two are very, very close and so he’s been helping him out, which is awesome.”
Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers has said that the team needs more from Vea moving forward. This could be the first step in him doing so if he looks as good as everyone says.