Power Failure Predicted For Vita Vea
June 25th, 2026
Would a Hall of Fame general manager extend Vita Vea’s contract and pay the Bucs’ manbeast defensive tackle for the 2027 season?
For Bill Polian, it sounds like the answer now is, “No.”
Polian predicts a power loss coming for Vea as he enters his ninth NFL season at 31 years old, and Polian says Vea has versatility limitations other elite defensive tackles don’t have.
Still, he respects what Vea delivers for the Bucs, even if it’s not a ton of third-down pass rush.
“He’s the master at setting picks and then coming off them and becoming a second tier rusher,” Polian said of Vea. “He gets a lot of hurries and sacks because he set a pick for a stunter and then he’ll get off that pick and, because of his motor, will keep coming and get a sack or get a hurry. And that’s the design of the defense. He’s perfect at what they do. But as I say, not quite Aaron Donald in terms of what he gives you in nickel rush. And that’s where they’re lacking. So this is a little bit of a defensive construct … kind of a defense, a team that’s a little betwixed and between.
“They’re not quite in flux with a scheme change the way the Bills are, but they’re in flux personnel wise. It’s an aging team.”
The comments from Polian came this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio. Don’t know Polian? He had Super Bowl teams in Buffalo and Indianapolis, and his Panthers played for the NFC Championship in between.
Polian said he thinks the Bucs’ Super Bowl window remains “wide open,” even without Mike Evans. Interestingly, Polian said he thinks the Bucs’ offense is slightly overrated and has a lot to prove.
“The perception is that their offense is good, but it really isn’t, you know, it’s not what you want, Polian said. “And that may be with a contract coming up, it may be they have a decision to make on Baker Mayfield going forward.”
June 25th, 2026 at 11:30 am
He needs to drop into coverage more Mr Bowles. 4d chess. Go Bucs.
June 25th, 2026 at 11:55 am
How are we an aging team? Three of our draft picks are only 21. We replaced Reddick with Bain. Anzalone for David, Hurst for Evans, Dean for Parrish. How are we aging? Comments like that from Polian makes it hard to take him seriously. We got rid of some of our oldest vets, and in some cases replaced them with 21 year olds.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
He’s aging. Mr. Polian that’s is. So much so that his analysis have lost power. Vita is one the premier DT’s in the league even at 31. Any team would love to have THAT guy. Come on Bill…
June 25th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
Oh no, Bill Polian takes in 2026.
At least this doesn’t sound as wrong as him saying Lamar Jackson wasn’t going to make it as a QB in this league or saying Terrell Owens wasn’t an HOFer.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
“We got rid of some of our oldest vets, and in some cases replaced them with 21 year olds.”
What makes it even weirder is that we were the oldest team in the league in 2022, went to the 8th youngest team in 2023, we were the 3rd youngest team in 2024, and 18th youngest last season. We’ve literally been getting younger almost every year.
So very likely with what you pointed out moving on from older players with younger replacements, we’ll be top 10-13 youngest teams once our 53 man roster is straightened out this season.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Agreed
June 25th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
I think I’ll choose to abstain from trusting the man who didn’t think Peyton Manning could play any more and instead drafted a guy who they forced into extreme early retirement with their ineptitude
June 25th, 2026 at 12:14 pm
You can tell Bill Polian is in his 80’s, he’s not winning a championship in this era that’s for sure. Vea has never been a pass rusher or expected to be. Why on earth is he mentioning Aaron Donald who was playing at like 290lbs?
June 25th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
On old: The Bucs have a 30+ yo nose tackle. Brought in a 30+ 5-technique. Went out in FA for a 30+ ILB. Also chose to get a 30+ backup EDGE. Now you might say that the secondary is young but the front 7 are definitely aging out. We should expect two or three starters and some reserves to be replaced by next year.
And Polian is right as to VV’s limitations. He does what he does and does it well. Usually for only half the snaps. He might keep his super strength for another year or for another decade — but you know which way to bet. There’s another irreplaceable piece of the defense that has to be replaced.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
The problem with the Polians of the media is how can they do any analysis on all 32 teams? The truthful answer is you can’t.
They do superficial analysis. Odds of getting it right is very limited and virtually a waste of time for fans read it.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:24 pm
@ warren
“What makes it even weirder is that we were the oldest team in the league in 2022, went to the 8th youngest team in 2023, we were the 3rd youngest team in 2024, and 18th youngest last season. We’ve literally been getting younger almost every year.”
No mention of the Bucs salary cap implications regarding this “evolution” of our roster?
Shame on you…
I thought you were the smartest goy in the room.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Very good points Hodad!
June 25th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
Todd.
Bowles.
Regression
Failure
Lose
June 25th, 2026 at 12:37 pm
“I thought you were the smartest goy in the room.”
May not be the smartest, but I wouldn’t let you anywhere near my finances nor balancing a ledger.
When you lose money, do you count that as savings because you can’t spend it?
Jokes on you, whenever you more of them just lemme know.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
Polian has been losing it for a few years now.. Pay the man! Don’t be stupid!
June 25th, 2026 at 12:40 pm
“Polian said he thinks the Bucs’ Super Bowl window remains “wide open,” even without Mike Evans.”
Drug test that man. And inform him that you have no SB window if you can’t make the postseason.
Especially in a division yielding zero teams with winning records and you still can’t win the division.
Only way Bowles makes the SB as a HC is if he buys tickets.
June 25th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
It comes back to offseason training and commitment. Suh knows what he’s doing and Vea clearly agrees with his methods. And he’s never been a high snap guy so I don’t believe he’s comparable to others. It’s not like he’s 34. Id give him another year.
June 25th, 2026 at 1:02 pm
I say trade him. The Bucs would be selling high. A few contracts like YaYa & Tykee Smith will need a contract following the season. Licht & Co. won’t…but it’s an option.
June 25th, 2026 at 1:11 pm
Not to mention that the run defense has gone downhill the last couple seasons to compared to what it was. It hasn’t been a dominant run defense the last couple seasons like it was. A defense with Vita Vea at the center should at least be that as an identity. Especially with a coach who prides his defenses on stopping the run first and foremost. Is that all Vea’s fault. No. But he’s played more snaps than usual the last couple seasons and yet the run defense the last couple seasons has gone downhill. If the power starts subsiding, that’s no bueno. Vea hasn’t had an extensive injury history, but his injuries have mostly been ankle, knee, leg injuries. Not great when you’re supporting a 350 pound frame over the years.
I don’t want to lose Vita, but he’s not on par of the style of the highest paid DTs in today’s game. Nor should he be asking for that or near what Simmons just got from TN. It’s really a bad time in general to be holding out, and for a defense in search of new leaders and captains and for a guy making $20mil already and is “holding in” on the sidelines. It’s bad timing for the big fella to be doing this. Not to mention the collapse of last season and the bad defense Vita was a captain & “leader (not his strong suit)” of.
So going off of recent history, plus Polian’s prediction/prognostication type comments, I’m not sure Vita should be holding out(in) at all and I sure hope he’s not looking for premium DT money.
And if you go by snap percentage compared to salary, Vita isn’t making peanuts by any means. If 2 guys are getting paid $20 million a season hypothetically, but one plays 60% of the snaps and the other plays 90% and is more versatile and a true 3 down lineman with elite pass-rushing ability, etc. those don’t compare. Yet one is getting paid the same to do less.
Vita got a hefty contract for a DT before when he was only playing 50-60% of the snaps too. I really think Vita is one of those ALL about the money guys and I also worry that he drinks too much. Committing too long and too much to him now is not as grand idea as some think it is.
Now if Vea is being reasonable, that’s a different story, but I don’t believe that to be the case here. And again, the timing and optics are just bad here. I agree with Polian here.
I’d rather pay both Mauch & YaYa first too at this point!
June 25th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
To say that the Bucs Super Bowl window is wide open is a joke. There is no chance this team competes with the elite teams in the NFC.
As for VV, I would trade him immediately. There is no future with an aging, overweight, oft-injured, part-time DT – definitely not at $20m a year.
He’s had some great moments with the Bucs but those are well in the past.
June 25th, 2026 at 1:42 pm
If Vita played for a real head coach and a real defensive coordinator, he could be hall of fame bound.
Instead, he like the rest of his teammates is on the path of deep regression. Sad.
June 25th, 2026 at 1:52 pm
So Polian wants to ding Vea for not being Aaron Donald??? LOL
How old is this guy now? He’s gotta be approaching 90….
June 25th, 2026 at 2:11 pm
Polian is an idiot. Always has been. IDGAF if some flabby, half drunk sportswriters think he’s HOF.
Vea will be stronger this year than ever. Why? Because he has better people around him. If Kancey can not stub a toe and B-Rex (best post Munch ever wrote) is half of what they’ve written about him, the pressure should make the DBs better.
Let’s get it on.
June 25th, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Outside of defensive tackle/nose tackle I would not say the Bucs are an aging team unless he is specifically talking about the defensive line.
Bucs are fairly young on offense, outside linebacker, and secondary. Interior defensive line is an older group that needs at least one if not two selected in next years draft.
June 25th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
We got a little RAYS ‘no-hit’ bid a brewin’ right now… NO-HITTER ALERT. RAYS NO-HITTER ALERT!!!!!!!!!
June 25th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
WOW. Junior just went DEEP AGAIN, for the ‘THIRD-TIME’ TODAY!!!!!!!! 3-MORE ‘OUTS’ to go… LET’S GOOOOO!!!! Wouldn’t that be something!!!!