Jason Licht Talks Vita Vea Contract Extension
August 23rd, 2026
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht was talking about extending the contract of Vita Vea — and this time he didn’t reference his stellar draft record of recent years.
Licht took gentle shots last week from NBC Sports super insider Mike Florio for his four-sentence written statement on extending Vea’s contract.
Why? Because Licht’s third sentence went as follows: “One of the keys to our recent success has been our ability to draft, develop and re-sign core, foundational players who set the standard for what it means to be a Buccaneer.”
Florio poked at Licht for patting himself on the back in writing.
Last night, Licht was asked by Buccaneers Radio Network play-by-play man Tony Castricone about Vea “being officially back with the team.” And Castricone asked, “how big of an addition is that for Coach Bowles” and what he’s building with the defense?
Rightfully so, Licht disagreed with Castricone’s premise.
“Well he was on our team; he never left,” Licht replied.
But Licht continued and explained what Vea’s giant raise for 2026 and new 2027 contract means.
“We’re obviously jacked to get this done and to reach some common ground and get him extended,” Licht said. “Everybody knows what he means to our defense. He’s just such a unique player that affects the game in ways that don’t always show up in the stat sheet, although he is a pretty productive player, too. He just makes the guys around him better. He’s obviously a big part of our locker room, too.”
While the Bucs had three first-round draft picks along their defensive front last year, Haason Reddick was about as worthless as last night’s preseason game and Calijah Kancey was healthy for only three games.
This year, the Bucs have Vea, Kancey and Miami Mauler rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain. Those are three first-round picks. If those guys simply stay healthy, the Joe typing here sees massive improvement ahead for the Bucs defense.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:04 pm
Yes !
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Joe … ‘If those guys (Vea, Kancey & Bain) simply stay healthy, the Joe typing here sees massive improvement ahead for the Bucs defense.’
Oh yes, there’s that perfect Bottom Line again. Now if we can just get you to define MASSIVE Joe.
There’s been a lot of JBF articles this off-season about ‘Kit-Kat-eating Todd Bowles’ and how he’s at fault for everything bad that’s happened on our defense (and probably for climate change, the war in Iran & heaven only knows what else).
Vita Vea took umbrage with that the other day when he said that he wanted to set the record straight on Todd Bowles …
“I feel like none of it is Bowles fault; I feel like we all love Bowles, the players in the locker room. So thatâs one thing I want to set the record straight at; we all love Bowles. Itâs not what heâs doing. You know, heâs telling us what to do, giving us all the answers to the test and itâs on us players to be able to go out there and excecute what heâs telling us to do. Heâs always putting is in the best position to play.”
That was totally unsolicited. Vea didn’t have to say anything about Todd Bowles, and yet he staunchly defended him. And never said 1 word about Kit Kats. Hmmm.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:24 pm
While I’m in favor of extending VV…..i could also see the benefit of trading an older player when he still has value…..saving the $$ for other needs and picking up an extra high draft pick.
The bottom line will be how well VV performs…..we have a pretty stout front 7 with him there.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Florio is the TMZ of sports journalism these days….
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:39 pm
jason has a bruised ego from this episode, obviously. the bossman came in and made him look like a weak bad cop. not a good look for the guy all about hyping how great things look because of his unmatched excellence.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I would be willing to take back some of the bad things Iâve said about Licht if he could help orchestrate the reduction of preseason games to 2 so we can hear RondĂ© one less time per offseason.
What an absolute disgrace of an announcing job. Missed things. Bragged on himself way too much. Jokes that were not even mildly amusing. Mumbling. Just embarrassing.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:43 pm
At this rate, Joe should meet his daily âworthless preseasonâ quota trope by supper time, even getting it in with consecutive articles todayâŠ.
Joe probably waking up from nightmares screaming âworthless preseason gamesâŠ..ahhhhâ at this juncture đ
Well, if anything, itâs worth writing about at the very least apparently!
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:47 pm
âHeâs just such a unique player that affects the game in ways that donât always show up in the stat sheet, although he is a pretty productive player, too. He just makes the guys around him better. Heâs obviously a big part of our locker room, too.â
Yup, the truest thing that Licht couldâve said and emphasis on making guys around him better, because that is what Vita does. Sacks, snap counts, age and all that other stuff guys posted about throughout this stand off was irrelevant.
If Iâve got a guy on an odd or even front that can occupy 2 people giving us a 10 to 9 numbers advantage. Itâs less traffic for the ILBs to navigate, clear lanes for purist from everybody that doesnât have their hands in the grass hole increasing the amount of 1 on 1 matchups the guys in the trenches have. Thereâs NO WAY Iâm not trying to keep him on my team.
Like the Knicks said wit Mikal Bridges eff them draft picks. Some of yâall were lowballing talking about a 2nd rounder and thinking somebody would give us a viable CB along with that, maaaaaan
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Modhair you sound like an insufferable person. Itâs preseason. Grades donât count right now. It was a fun night, a good showing by the players and I thought Gruden brought the energy and juice weâve come to expect from him. Go be miserable somewhere else.
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:16 pm
The only “worth” (value) there is in preseason games is for NFL owners’ revenue and for orthopedic surgeons.
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:21 pm
âThe only âworthâ (value) there is in preseason games is for NFL ownersâ revenue and for orthopedic surgeonsâ
Riiiiiight
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:33 pm
I’d LOVE to hear what Vita would say off the record about last year. He simply CAN’T say “we had a bunch of people on the field who had no business being there”
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Ronde and Gruden did an alright job but had a few head scratching moments – like in victory formation when Gruden said Reid wasnât going to use his timeouts. Of which he had none of.