The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have big plans for Vita Vea, their first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft. But they’ll have to wait a bit longer before those plans take shape during a regular-season game.
Vea has been recovering from a calf injury suffered in the early going of training camp, and if coach Dirk Koetter’s comments Monday are any indication, they’ll be without their top pick for their Week 1 matchup with the New Orleans Saints
Coach Dirk Koetter said Vea's not ready to resume practicing, putting his availability to play in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints in jeopardy.
"He's making good progress. Unfortunately, it's not to the point where he can play on the field," Koetter said. "He's working a lot behind the scenes -- in the weight room, in the training room. He's making progress but he's just not ready to play on the field."
Vea has been seen jogging up and down the practice field with trainers. He has looked fit and conditioned, taking little to no rest in between turns.
Koetter noted that Vea, who's listed at 347 pounds, has managed to keep his weight down during the recovery process, something the team had concerns about.
The 12th overall draft pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Vea was expected to line up next to six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy and help invigorate a pass rush that finished with just 22 sacks last year -- last in the NFL.
Veteran Beau Allen, who signed as a free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles, has manned the position throughout training camp and the preseason. The team also placed backup defensive tackle Mitch Unrein on injured reserve Monday with a concussion.
At the time of the injury, a source close to the situation told ESPN that Vea would "miss a couple of weeks" and was "not expected to miss any regular-season games."
