NFL Top 100: Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Vita Vea is No. 76, will play Cardinals in 2025
Beginning this past Monday, the NFL began its third week of revealing players in the "NFL Top 100." After revealing two players on Monday that the Arizona Cardinals will face in 2025 and one more on Tuesday, they revealed another they would face in 2025 on Wednesday. The No. 76 player in the top 100 was Tamp Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea, whom the Cardinals face on the road in Week 13.
It was Vea's debut in the top 100.
In 2024, Vea had a career-high seven sacks, a career-high 10 tackles for loss and a career-high (tie) 13 quarterback hits. He made the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
Tackle Tristan Wirfs, his teammate, describes Vea like this, "for being how big he is, somebody that big shouldn't move that fast." He weighs nearly 350 pounds.
Former New Orleans running back Jamaal Williams said he does not like running the ball and getting tackled by Vea, comparing getting him by him as when you get tackled on top of the football. Getting hit and tackled by Vea makes him question why he even plays football.
He is a big space-eater in the run game and can get to the quarterback.
Quarterback Jameis Winston, now on the New York Giants, was Vea's teammate in Tampa. Winston said, "he's powerful, just dominant, no flash."
The Cardinals have not been dominated by Vea. In one game, Vea had three tackles and a tipped pass in a 30-27 win in 2019.
'NFL Top 100' opponents for Cardinals in 2025
Of the 26 players in the top 100 revealed as of Wednesday, the Cardinals face the following:
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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