TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) The first official injury report for the week does not come out until Wednesday but Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive tackle Vita Vea will most likely occupy a spot on the dreaded chart. It is also unlikely that Vea will play on opening day against the New Orleans Saints. Not shocking news but it is the days weeks that follow, that have Bucs fans concerned.
Vea did not practice on Monday but was present, as he has done all of camp and the preseason, in shorts. He injured his calf early in training camp and the Bucs have taken a strict approach in his rehab, working him behind the scenes, hoping for a return to the field soon.
“He’s making good progress,” head coach Dirk Koetter said. “Unfortunately it’s not to the point where he can play football on the field. But he’s working a lot behind the scenes, in the weight room and the training room. He is making progress but he’s just not ready to play on the field yet.”
Koetter has chosen his words carefully when the status of Vea comes up, noting on more than one occasion that his situation is the only disappointment in a preseason that featured a very talented rookie class. All of the Bucs 2018 draft selections made the 53-man roster.
Vea surely shares the same frustration, hoping to make a good impression as an NFL rookie. For now, his dedication under adversity will have to do. The only question upon his return is, how quickly can he work his way into the Bucs lineup and will his return be a slow process?
