Might The Bucs Trade Vita Vea?
June 17th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Interesting today that head coach Todd Bowles did not deny the NFL Network report claiming Vita Vea didn’t get on the field at mandatory minicamp this week because of a contract extension he has yet to secure.
Mike Garafolo dropped the news yesterday and Bowles was matter of fact about it. “We’ve been through it before. It’s part of the business,” he said after practice today.
Vea is due nearly $18 million this season, and the Bucs’ 2018 first-round draft pick has no contract for 2027. He’d be a pending free agent at 32 years old following this season.
Contract years? Bowles was asked about that today as it relates to linebacker SirVocea Dennis. His answer applied to Vea, as well.
“Everybody’s headed to a contract year at some point,” Bowles said. “I don’t concern myself with that.”
Joe’s not sure why exactly the Bucs would drop a contract extension on Vea now. He surely would want north of $20 million annually and guys his size and age rarely have long shelf lives.
Might Vea skip training camp without a new deal? That’s unclear, but Joe highly doubts Vea has a burning desire to be a “Buc For Life.”
Joe is not down on Vea, but Vea doesn’t seem like that kind of Mr. Buccaneer. He’s being mentored by Ndamukong Suh, who very much is about money. Joe listened to all of the Vea-Suh financial conversation sitdown on Suh’s podcast last year.
Would Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht shop Vea if he was determined to force the Bucs’ hand on a contract? Joe could envision that, especially if the Bucs’ defensive line stayed healthy through the preseason and a quality cornerback was available.
No, Joe is not wishing away Vea, but Joe has seen the trend of unhappy players getting shipped out across the NFL.
June 17th, 2026 at 1:54 pm
Given his potential and how he’s been coached to significantly underperform that potential, it would be the best thing for Vita to go somewhere to play for a real head coach and a real defensive coordinator.
June 17th, 2026 at 1:57 pm
Another contract stalemate? Why not…
Keep in mind that Vea was picked after the Bucs handed Josh Allen to Buffalo via trade . ( Yes the Bucs still had Winny…who subsequently threw 30 INTs and has been a journeyman/comedian since. )
Vea has been extremely solid…no doubt about it. He’s not due a pay raise/extension in my throw away opinion.
June 17th, 2026 at 1:59 pm
trading Vita would be the biggest mistake JL committed during his tenure….it would surpass drafting a kicker in the 2nd round or signing Swaggy baker…
PAY VITA YESTERDAY!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
June 17th, 2026 at 2:01 pm
if the Glazers want the #1 overall pick in the draft, by all means trade Vita lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
June 17th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
He has to do it. He can’t risk injury at this point. But come Week-1… He’ll be there. Since, he has about 17-18 MILLION REASONS to be. He’s NOT sitting-out the entire season. That would be a HORRENDOUS Mistake for him.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:21 pm
Nah, keep Vea. If you thought the run defense was bad last year, wait until you see it without VV. His importance doesn’t show up in the stats.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:24 pm
Love Vita and hope he has a great season for the Bucs this year.
I don’t think you can sign him to a big extension right now.
Gotta play hardball with guys eventually. No one on the roster can replace Vita but we have a bunch of big space eaters now. Jayson Jones is not a small human.
We also have the personnel to move to a 4-3 if healthy. I know Bowles won’t do that but Diaby, Kancey, Robinson, Bain along the front is fine.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
Sask, if only we had a defensive coordinator who ran a 4-3, instead of 0-11.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
We need vea in the trenches.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:36 pm
I refuse to believe that we’d trade big sexy. I smell a contract extension for both he and Baker before training camp. Vita Vea is the kool-aid man, smashing through walls, “oh yeah”. His presence makes our defense go. He’s a full on beast and I love watching him play. A trade would be a bad decision, but I guess not out off the realm of possibility.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Vea has a hard time staying healthy and is a part time player in game. On a team with amopen Super Bowl window, he’s worth $20m+ to this Bucs team he is not. Moving him would be a great move
June 17th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
There is no mr for life for any team that’s just silly joe that’s why it never makes sense for a fan to marry any player as they come and go as the team remains.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
I mean trading Vea its a smart move. Probably get good pick/’s in return. He’s in a contract year and there have been rumblings of if Tampa could afford to give him a new contract. I say do it if the offer is right.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:45 pm
Via is an important player. We also simply cannot pay everybody with the cap in place. Hard decisions. Baker’s contract coning up. Gives me ulcers.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
This is GM stress time. Vita plays a position where there is a large production drop off at 30.
The GM stress comes from these players always wanting raises when they are no longer the player they once were. Vea is already in lesser snap count mode and his sacks and tackles are dropping.
Is this from playing less? Sure, some of it, but if he was the player he once was he wouldn’t need the breathers.
I like Vita. Who doesn’t? But he shouldn’t be demanding more for producing less.
And if you go around paying players for past performance you suddenly become that nice guy who finishes last.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:49 pm
They won’t give him a long term deal right now because of the uncertainty with the HC. This has nothing to do with him per se, just that they cant pay him the large amount of money he’s due. So he’ll play the last year of his contract and see if wants to stay for the new staff next year.
If he gets traded then the tank is on, that will be proof. Vea is the Bucs 3rd best player behind Wirfs and AWJ, so moving him would send a big message that they’re collecting assets.
There might be a fire sale coming.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
If Kancey, Robinson and Walker were to remain healthy and Nacho as a rotational guy, I don’t think it would be a big deal to trade him.
He’s a 32-year-old DT who plays at most 60% of the time on defense.
I do not want to see him to go, he’s a massive difference maker when he is there, but if he just wants to break the bank for the next 3-4 years until he retires, trading him now and for some draft picks might be the best option.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:53 pm
I get VVs gripe. When our right tackle is making more than him, he has a point. VV is the cornerstone of our defense. When hes out, our run defense goes to shit. I think the extension has to be realistic, say 2 years, 40ish million.
June 17th, 2026 at 2:55 pm
With who they have brought in and drafted, the more I think about it, the more getting a late first or second round pick, along with a fourth or fifth might be the way to go. He is going to be 32. At most, he has two really good years left and then you’re overpaying for a year or two. If he is willing to sign to stay here without breaking the bank then great, but I don’t see him doing
June 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
He has faced double teams his entire career.
He drinks too much and doesn’t work out enough.
He’s underpaid for his unique talent.
He has never played in an angry way. He’s too peaceful.
He has never been an All Pro which is shameful considering his freakish athletic ability.
Trade him? That’s a tough call.
If someone offered a 1st rounder?
You have to take it. Honestly.
June 17th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Trade him. Use the draft capital to move up a few spots to #1 in next year’s draft. Draft a QB and franchise Baker.
June 17th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
Bowles has to win this year or he’s out. I doubt they trade Vea. Some big guys can play a lot of years. Size and strength like that doesn’t diminish the way speed and quickness do.
June 17th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
Disgruntled like evans? Then you have to tell him to kick rocks! Like these disgruntled know it all fans! Go away! Younger, faster ,people that want to be here, be a buc, its a business ,trade him ,theres always a hungrier,happier,grateful, man out there that wont turn the locker room upside-down. Find him! Cant ask for a better off season to trade everyone that doesn’t want to be in Tampa!
June 17th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
Disgruntled like evans? Then you have to tell him to kick rocks! Like these disgruntled know it all fans! Go away! Younger, faster ,people that want to be here, be a buc, its a business ,trade him ,theres always a hungrier,happier,grateful, man out there that wont turn the locker room upside-down. Find him! Cant ask for a better off season to trade everyone that doesn’t want to be in Tampa!
June 17th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
Easily Top 10 DT in NFL today. Dude basically has been our DL past couple of years.
Has VV earned top 10 $? Yes. Will he continue to over next 2-3 years? I would bet he has 4 solid seasons left (at least). VV has Samoan strength in his bloodline.
The challenge facing JL is budget allocation. Not every position (out of 20+) can get paid top 10 money for their position.
June 17th, 2026 at 4:10 pm
Comment submission is worse than Special Teams play last year.
June 17th, 2026 at 4:38 pm
Teacher man – agreed. Good comment. He’s an enigma to me too. Laissez-faire (sp) personified, can be dominant, but a little goofy – not a leader type. I would def agree that for everything he’s done, he’s arguably underperformed relative to physical talent
June 17th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
Few guys are like Aaron Donald and Suh. I kinda feel like Veta always fades towards the end of the year. So I don’t think he is as valuable as maybe he once was. He maybe would have a bigger impact if there were better players around him (like Suh, Shaq and JPP). I just don’t think he’s the lead dog of a defense like say Sapp was.
June 17th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Hard to disagree with anything written here
Also, and I really like Vea, but the dude isn’t a great leader either. On top of his age and the money he’s probably demanding and showing a lot of evidence he’s one of those all about the money guys, I don’t disagree with any of Joe’s sentiment here.
This was his chance to grab the reigns as leader of the defense and or be one of after David left. We know this team is in search of/the process of having new leaders & captains on this defense this season and the guys we keep hearing about filling those shoes and that role so far is Diaby, A. Robinson, Anzalone, Tykee, Kancey, etc.
….and Vea is standing on the sidelines “holding in” for a couple more million. It’s really not a good look and awful timing for a few reasons for the big fella. Not to mention he was one of the team captains along with David last season leading a soft, loafing, taking plays off, allergic to contact and tackling defense.
June 17th, 2026 at 5:08 pm
Kind of too bad Desmond couldn’t take 50 pounds off and learn the position last season. As it stands now there is no way the Bucs can let Vea walk.
June 17th, 2026 at 5:26 pm
Joe’s not sure why exactly the Bucs would drop a contract extension on Vea now. He surely would want north of $20 million annually and guys his size and age rarely have long shelf lives.
——–
I actually disagree with that. Big, huge guys like Vita do generally age well because if they lose half a step they can go one of two ways – they can just add even more weight and muscle and just become a 2-down dedicated run stuffer. OR, they can lose weight to get back some speed, while still being a top run stuffer.
I’d think an extension would be for 2-3 years, so you’re talking age 33 or 34 when the deal ends.
Seems like a no brainer to me based on how defensive lineman are paid and Vita’s production. And if you’re not going to resign him, then trade him.