Report: Vita Vea Wants To Pay (A Lot Of) State Taxes
July 28th, 2026
Why not?
Who knows what the true motivation is for Vita Vea coming out and claiming he wants out of Tampa Bay?
But Joe suspects it isn’t so he can be like Mike Evans and is eager to pay hefty state taxes in California.
However, that’s what Ted Nguyen of The Athletic has been told. Well, maybe not about the taxes. Per Nguyen, last night a source told him Vea had told the Bucs he wanted to be shipped to California. Or Las Vegas.
So maybe Vea really doesn’t want to pay taxes if one of his requested destinations is a state tax-free locale like Nevada (Viva Las Vegas!).
There are all sorts of juicy possibilities here. Rams shot-caller Les Snead has the mantra of “Eff them picks.” It’s worked out well for him. Maybe it’s time to thieve a second-round pick for Vea? But if Aaron Donald is really coming back, that’s not going to happen.
Bucs Hall of Famer and 49ers big-shot John Lynch might be the worst draft guy in the league. He may as well trade his picks for Vea. At least they will bring a return as opposed to throwing them away on future busts.
The Chargers? Who knows what Jim Harbaugh has up his sleeve?
Maybe, just maybe, shipping Vea to Las Vegas could lure Maxx Crosby to Tampa Bay if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht talks turkey with his former Bucs right-hand man, John Spytek, who is running the Raiders. Spytek already traded Crosby once. So what makes anyone think Crosby is untradable now?
Remember, Spytek beefed up his defensive line as it is this past offseason, thinking Crosby was gone. That was before Baltimore reneged on the deal. So Crosby is damn near excess baggage in Sin City. A luxury.
And, Crosby is three years younger than Vea.
Imagine what sort of haul Vea could bring?
Vea doesn’t have a no-trade clause but he can choose to resign after this year
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) July 27, 2026
July 28th, 2026 at 5:25 am
Nah, I’d rather we re-sign Vita. Pay homage to the dude that’s been puttin’ in that work. You set a bad precedent when you don’t extend the anchors who’ve been great on and off the field — let one of those guys walk and every young player in that locker room takes notes. Do right by Vita, pay the man, and everybody behind him sees exactly what kind of org this is.
July 28th, 2026 at 5:41 am
And I don’t care who they’ve potentially got to pay down the line—you can always restructure to free up cap. That’s not a real problem, just another accounting exercise.
July 28th, 2026 at 5:55 am
If he goes we need to chuck the 3-4. ONLY works with him as the nose
July 28th, 2026 at 6:04 am
God, I hope it’s just a negotiation tactic. This defense is bad enough. Losing Vea would make it way worse.
July 28th, 2026 at 6:11 am
We got something special on that D-Line this year. Re-sign Vita!
July 28th, 2026 at 6:29 am
The Raiders don’t make sense to anyone involved. Vea should want to go to a win now organization like the 49ers. The Raiders are in the early stages of a full rebuild. Why sign a 31-year-old who won’t be around when the team gets competitive again. For the Bucs what could they possibly get from the Raiders besides a player who just went through surgery. Plus, why would the Raiders trade a 28 year old player for a 31 year old?
There are several teams in the win now category who would be happy to sign Vea and have the draft capital to pull off a trade. The Bucs need young talent!
July 28th, 2026 at 6:43 am
Maybe the Bucs could get Alfred Collins (DT) from the 49ers and some draft picks or
Brandon Aiyuk WR if he wants to play for the Bucs and promises a good attitude and a lot of draft picks
I would want at least a player for Vita!
Or Alfred….. Brandon … and a draft pick…. for Vita
I don’t see the Raiders being compatible with the Bucs
Or finally
keep Vita and bring in Jim Schwartz and make him DC … maybe that would make Vita happy
I don’t know!!!
July 28th, 2026 at 6:52 am
THE WHEELS ARE FALLING OFF THE GLAZERS WAGON
I could offer a few nasty analogies but…
The vibe from last season’s DECLINE has just been off the burner since the end of last season but the fundamental issues have not been addressed.
I’ll stop there…
July 28th, 2026 at 6:57 am
Licht gave out too many extensions to players that didnt earn them so the owners don’t trust him to pay more players. Vita should’ve been extended before Godwin and Zion. Now the Bucs won’t spend anything cause they know the HC and QB aren’t good. This team won’t as far as I could go 3 years ago.
Welcome to the rebuild. If the owners really thought this team was going somewhere they would’ve spent money like it was 2021. The GM, HC and QB running the good players out of town.
July 28th, 2026 at 7:02 am
Suh is in Vitas ear for sure
July 28th, 2026 at 7:19 am
Y’all are making it mean more than it does, Í love fan ficition as much as the next guy, but this isn’t something the team cannot do. It’s come about because they’re taking too long to do it. Why else would on the same night this news drops would Suh post a vid talking about value and urgency to honor that value.
I could understand points for, and points against business wise, but as a fan of this team and the sport. Losing a Vita Vea caliber player would be bad business no matter what franchise he played for at this point, that’s the value.
Make it happen Jason.
July 28th, 2026 at 7:22 am
There is a systematic rejection brewing in the locker room and private player conversations… every player in the NFL knows this, words of warning travel fast in the NFL.
Bowels should have been fired at the end of 2024 !
What does heartless cold calculated Las Vegas have to say about the Bucs W-L in 2026 ….
Oh !
It’s not as if this was not pointed out by the fans of the Bucs .
The Glazers can’t dance!
July 28th, 2026 at 7:36 am
It’s over. Get what you can for Vita in a trade. We need to think rebuild with a drafted QB. This team has 0 chance at a deep playoff run. I’m thinking 6-8 wins currently. We have some good pieces to build around but I like the idea of a new head coach next year with a few extra draft picks more than than the current situation.
July 28th, 2026 at 7:53 am
The sooner Bowles, Licht, and others are sent packing the better. Really only see 6-7 wins out of this squad as it stands on paper.
July 28th, 2026 at 8:03 am
Hey MonsVenusVip, your talking ship Jason Licht. Your crazy dude. Licht is one of the best GM’s in football. You know how many teams would love to have Jason Licht. You need to drink less boos and drink more water. Bucs need to keep Jason for many years to come. And keep Vita Vea too.
July 28th, 2026 at 8:09 am
so that’s why we added the beef and toughness. licht knew this would happen i’d bet
July 28th, 2026 at 9:02 am
Offseason really gets the emotion of fan GMs going!
Anyone with eyes saw this coming when Vea wasn’t offered an extension during last season through March. Did you think he’d stand pat, being over 30 moving into his last contract. Smmmmhhhhhh
July 28th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Get em out! Hit the road ! take the Evans Express!! Next man up ,Fresh season ! No crybabies needed….Go Bucs!
July 28th, 2026 at 9:37 am
Bobby Says: “Licht is one of the best GM’s in football.”
All evidence to the contrary. The Bucs roster going in to this season is not ranked in the top 5, or top 10, not even in the top half of the league. They are ranked 18th!
The Rams are ranked #1 despite spending twice as much QB cap space as the Bucs for the years 2023-2026. Seattle spent more at QB with Gino & Darnold than the Bucs spent on Baker, yet their GM managed to put together the best defense in the NFL.
So this ‘great’ GM, NOT constrained by a high QB cap hit, can’t put together a team that ranks in the top half of the league? I get fluctuations, but 18th! Based on the standard we hold QBs to, or teams to, or coaches to, this is NOT a great GM.
July 28th, 2026 at 9:46 am
Can you imagine Crosby on the Bucs defense. That’s a thought that is most appealing.
July 28th, 2026 at 10:01 am
I have always loved Vita, but this ploy on the eve of training camp tells me he is just another me-first guy. So he falls into the Evans bucket- great player, but having pitched aside any ”beloved player” status.
Now that he has shown his cards, Bucs should show him only what’s in the best interest of the team. No loyalty/beloved premium.
July 28th, 2026 at 10:03 am
LUV
i agree….
very bad look for the bucs if we trade vita…
vita has earned every penny he’s seeking…pay him!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 28th, 2026 at 10:03 am
He’s made over $90 million in his career…
He does not live in Florida, he’s okay with the taxes. The weather, politics, family, and vibe of the West Coast is his style. Trade him if he does not want to be here
The taxes did not matter to Mike, why would they matter to Vita? The type of money these guys make, the taxes is not a huge deal like it is to average joes
July 28th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Steve V Says:
July 28th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Get em out! Hit the road ! take the Evans Express!! Next man up ,Fresh season ! No crybabies needed….Go Bucs!
but yet baker is crying about being paid 50mil and has given the bucs a deadline lol….poor baker lol…he got 30mil in 2025 and now wants 50mil per year over the next 4 years lol….he hasnt won a playoff game in 3years…..without vita we have no SB ring!!!!
VITA>baker
GO BUCS!!!!
July 28th, 2026 at 10:12 am
There’s no chance vita for Crosby swap happens straight up. It would involve us shipping multiple draft picks for a guy with a degenerative knee. No thanks.
He’s a heck of a player no doubt but that’s a stupid trade for both sides. Plus Crosby looks re-energized as a raider.
If we can get a second round pick for him I’m still not so sure it’s worth it given some of the absolute busts we’ve taken in round two in recent years. Plus that second if it’s coming from the lambs is likely closer to the third round than the first
July 28th, 2026 at 10:49 am
813bucboi Says:
July 28th, 2026 at 10:10 am
“but yet baker is crying about being paid 50mil and has given the bucs a deadline lol….poor baker lol…he got 30mil in 2025 and now wants 50mil per year over the next 4 years lol….he hasnt won a playoff game in 3years…..without vita we have no SB ring!!!!
VITA>baker
GO BUCS!!!!”
Baker played for chicken feed at TB prior to getting the current contract. Baker owns some of the team’s failures but he has played well enough if we had any kind of defense we would have won a lot more games including playoff games. Last season everyone loved him until the team injury bug hit. TB has proven it does not want to extend it’s starters. He will not be back and TB will be the worse for it.
July 28th, 2026 at 11:03 am
I would definitely be on board with VEA for Crosby, even if the Buccaneers had to throw in a third round pick because of the age difference
July 28th, 2026 at 11:05 am
Vea going nowhere. All smoke and no fire. Reddick was a great example of what sitting out a year in your early 30s brings. The best of luck playing on your contract that you asked for or effectively tanking your market value at the recommendation of a player who had a mediocre career with multiple teams before getting lucky to join a championship roster in the Bucs.
July 28th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Crosby for Vea straight up? Yeah. I’d take that.
July 28th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Mayfield weather you like him or not hes a playmaker playmaker get paid sorry bout your luck!