Buccaneers' Vita Vea Misses Multiple Practices Foot Injury

Vita Vea, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, has been dealing with a foot injury that caused him to miss multiple practices early in the week leading up to Sunday's season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. After sitting out practices on Wednesday and Thursday, Vea returned to practice on Friday, signaling a positive step toward playing in the game. His participation in Friday's practice improves his chances of facing a run-heavy Falcons offense, which would otherwise force the Buccaneers to rely more on Greg Gaines alongside Logan Hall and Calijah Kancey in the defensive line. Despite the earlier concerns about his availability, Vea's return to practice suggests he is progressing toward readiness for the opener. Other Buccaneers players like Haason Reddick have also returned to practice after absences earlier in the week. Vea's status will significantly impact Tampa Bay's defensive strategy for their season opener.