More Vita Vea Trade Chatter
October 24th, 2026
Ranked high as trade bait.
In a little over two weeks, the trade deadline will arrive. By that time we should know if the Bucs have a snowball’s chance of getting back in the playoff race or if the Bucs are fully involved in the dash for the No. 1 overall pick.
We haven’t had that sort of fun and excitement since 2013.
(Joe read a comment on this here site that if the Bucs are 1-8 at the bye, “heads must roll.” Why on earth would a team do that? At 1-8, that’s when you keep incompetence! Why would you screw up an excellent draft pick by accidentally bumping into someone competent? That’s what mid-January is for.)
There are several Bucs players that could be attractive to a contending team. It seems the most popular, at least the guy getting the most chatter, is Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea.
Add Daniel Popper to the list of folks who think Vea is coveted by playoff-bound teams. Typing for The Athletic, Popper had a list of players ranked as top trade candidates.
At No. 6 is Vea.
Vea requested a trade from the Bucs in July. In August, the two sides agreed on a one-year, $30 million extension that got Vea back on the field for the start of the regular season. The Bucs, though, have struggled. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has missed time with a thumb injury. The offense, with and without Mayfield, has been a limiting factor. Time could be running out for coach Todd Bowles. Vea is a very powerful interior player who demands attention as a run defender and pass rusher. He is due $23 million guaranteed in 2027, so an acquiring team would be looking at a future commitment. The Bucs, meanwhile, would take on $19.6 million in dead money in 2027.
Dead money stinks, but a nice draft pick is much better. Perhaps the Bucs could get a mid-round pick for Vea.
Here are some of the players that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has landed with mid-round picks recently: Ted Hurst, Keionte Scott, Jacob Parrish, David Walker, Tykee Smith, Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving.
It’s unlikely Vea will be around after next season. So why not get a decent, young player in return (draft pick) rather than letting him walk for nothing in a year?
October 24th, 2026 at 12:04 am
Does Todd still work here?
October 24th, 2026 at 12:08 am
Joe says: “So why not get a decent, young player in return (draft pick) rather than letting him walk for nothing in a year?”
Answer: Jason Licht may not want to initiate a fire sale even if the team should be retooling for a rebuild with a new coaching staff next season as it would be admitting this season is lost and he has had a big hand in that given the qb situation and his so caalled “stellar” OL is porous as Swiss cheese. Granted a majority of the blame is on the Glazers for allowing Bowles to stay on a couple of season too long as well as Bowles game mismanagement and mind boggling soft zones as well as Zac Robinson making Leftwich/Grizzard look like Bill Walsh but Licht is responsible too. I just suspect that this organization has not made the best decisions on any level since TB12 called it a day after Giselle left him…..
October 24th, 2026 at 12:10 am
Fire Jason Licht.
October 24th, 2026 at 12:22 am
Clean house. Licht/Bowles out. Get a new GM to hire the next head coach. Bowles has reached his max and it stinks, Licht is too busy pounding beers and smelling his own farts.
October 24th, 2026 at 12:31 am
Na, we still need Big V in the middle for next year…..dont mess with one of my picks! Theres others, yeah, those I never suggested we draft or sign.
October 24th, 2026 at 1:09 am
I’d sooner trade Winfield. Notice how we have not missed him since he’s been injured.
October 24th, 2026 at 1:50 am
Vea is a very powerful interior player that demands attention as a run defender and a pass rusher. Hmm. So that’s what they’re saying about Vita Vea? Wonder why someone would say something like that about Vita?
It’s probably because they’ve watched him play. In fact anyone with halfwit football sense who’s watched him play already knows what he does for a defensive front.
Nah. We don’t need to trade him. Let’s act like we have half a brain and keep him. He should be especially impactful for the playoff run we’re fixing to have.
October 24th, 2026 at 2:10 am
Everyone is always hurt the gm hc and players all soft! It’s bad from top to bottom fire them all fire the cannons 2027 will be great new everything new GM new Coaches New Players New Attitudes and Happy Fans! It’s a bad bad cancer ridden team all around go Bucs 2027!
October 24th, 2026 at 2:48 am
I am totally against this “fire sale” approach. We want a good coach to WANT to come here. Vea has been a great player for us and would be a very attractive piece in place for incoming DCs. We’ve definitely got a few players underperforming with big contracts but I think it’s best to let those things play out. Keep drafting well and hopefully we find a coach who can actually get the most of this roster. What do we need cap space for rn? It’s going to be tough to bring in FAs during a coaching transition and rebuild. And teams will just low ball us with fifth and sixth rounders anyway. Three years from now the Bucs could be sitting on lots of cap space, young talent and better coaching.