This is going to sound insane (and is almost certainly wrong - what do I know), but I don't like Vea as a 1-tech in our scheme.
I don't know that he's got that grit.
It's this trapped line of thinking that always catches the Jones family. DT is not a splashy enough position for a 1st round pick, he'll get squelched, etc. If you're obsessed with the scheme and forget it's the players that make things happen, you've already hamstrung yourself.
It's wrong thinking.
This might be the most important piece of the defense, and it will be all the more impactful with a talented player in place of a journeyman. So what if there are no traditional stats to go along with the position? It forces the real football people to have to actually work for a living.
Bottom line, talent up front makes a huge impact.
Fletcher Cox is often if not always double teamed, yet he still makes plays and wrecks the offense's plans. Belichick made sure to account for Cox by double-teaming him in the Superbowl and Brady got the ball out quickly as normal.
Cox's talent helped the Eagles to ratchet up the pressure at the end of the 4th quarter and get the critical strip sack. Sure it wasn't Cox with the actual sack, but a lesser DT doesn't have the same drive to assist his teammates with the game on the line.
Well into his 30's Randy White would draw occasional triple teams. That's an insane commitment to one player by the offense. I'd love it for opposing teams to think that way about any of our players.