The Tampa Bay Buccaneers face a tall order in trying to slow down Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. The good news is the Buccaneers could get an important part of their defensive line back to help them pull it off in time for their visit to Lambeau Field.
The Buccaneers are designating defensive tackle Vita Vea for return from the injured reserve list, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Vea will start practicing with his teammates on Wednesday and could be back on the field on Sunday when the NFC Championship Game kicks off.
The 25-year-old Vea fractured his ankle in Tampa Bay’s 20-19 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 5 back in October. At the time, his injury was considered a season-ending one, but with the Buccaneers beating the Washington Football Team in the Wild Card Round and the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round, their extended playoff run gave the Washington product a chance to rejoin the team and potentially play in the postseason for the first time.
Vea, the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, recorded 10 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and three quarterback hits in five games before his injury. If the 6-foot-4, 350-pound defensive tackle is unable to play for the Buccaneers on Sunday, he will have an additional two weeks to prepare for his return in Super Bowl LV should the Buccaneers upset the Packers.
Tampa Bay won't rush Vea back if he's not ready, but the club would certainly love to have him back against Green Bay's high-powered offensive attack. Rodgers and the Packers just roasted an elite Los Angeles Rams defense this past weekend, so the Buccaneers could use all the help they can get.
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