Robinson praises Vita Vea, his new dominating teammate, as a key reason for joining the Buccaneers and bolstering Tampa's defensive front.
When new Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson was asked the first question of his Bucs tenure, he used it to hype up one of his new teammates.
“Got the big dog up front,” Robinson told reporters Friday afternoon. “He eats people, kills people, destroys them. To be able to play next to him, play off each other, I think is great.”
“The big dog” is Vita Vea, who is entering his ninth season with the Buccaneers.
Vea came to the league two seasons after Robinson, and immediately became one of Tampa’s best players.
He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl twice and helped the Bucs to a Super Bowl championship following the 2020 season. Vea missed all but five games that season due to injury.
The next season, Robinson became a Super Bowl champion with the Los Angeles Rams.
Both defensive tackles are looking to use their Super Bowl pedigree to help the Bucs get back among the NFL’s elite.
Robinson was a part of why the Bucs didn’t win the NFC South last season.
He played for the Carolina Panthers, and was as active as he’s been in his career.
In 2024, Robinson played the most snaps of his career (761 per Pro Football Focus) and ended with his career-high in sacks (five).
Last season, Robinson played the third most snaps of his career (702) and had a career-high in pressures (31).
Vea led the Bucs with 51 pressures last season, the second most of his career and most since he had 57 in 2019.
The chance to pair with Vea was a big part of why Robinson picked Tampa over the San Francisco 49ers, which he said finished runner-up in his free agency.
But Vea isn’t the only thing that excites Robinson about joining the Bucs.
Robinson pointed out that Tampa improved each area of its front seven.
On the EDGE, the Bucs signed Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had double digit sacks for the Detroit Lions last season.
At linebacker, the Bucs signed another Lion in Alex Anzalone.
Robinson also likes what the Bucs have in the secondary.
Tampa did lose cornerback Jamel Dean.
But the Bucs also have a former All-Pro safety in Antoine Winfield Jr.
Tampa’s defense ranked 20th in the league in scoring last season.
For the Bucs to reclaim the NFC South, the defense must be better, and Robinson feel he can help make a difference.
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