NFL Teams Don’t Believe Jason Licht Will Trade Vita Vea
July 29th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
It seems recent history says, both league-wide and with the Bucs, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea likely isn’t going anywhere. For now.
This week, explosive news erupted when Vea, through his camp, demanded a trade from Tampa Bay. Vea is in the final year of his contract and is woefully underpaid in the current defensive tackle market. Vea apparently didn’t like how contract negotiations were going with the Bucs and got fed up.
Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, it seems Vea is going to have to live with it. At least until March.
The word around the league, according to Fowler, is that teams don’t think Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will cave to Vea’s demands.
Teams I’ve consulted have their doubts about whether Tampa Bay would actually deal Vea. That’s not the franchise’s style.
Welp. So does that mean Vea will hold out? No one knows at this hour but we may get an idea this morning during the Bucs’ first training camp practice of 2026.
This intel Fowler has sort of backs up what former Bears scouting director Gabe Gabriel twittered this week in the wake of Vea’s bombshell. He noted that in recent years, “few” older veterans who have demanded a trade were granted their wishes.
Vea is 31. And for the time being, like it or not, he’s a member of the Bucs.
If Vea decides to hold in, Joe would seriously consider moving him, epecially if another team will dangle a second-round pick in front of Licht’s face.
If Vea sits out, do we really believe he will re-up with the Bucs for 2027 and beyond? If Vea puts his foot down, may as well get something for him while you can.
At the end of the day, this all could just be a dramatic ruse for Vea to get out of training camp.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:04 am
Trade VV..get a high draft pick in exchange and lock up Baker. Done.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:08 am
Agreed Joe. But im hoping we can get a deal done….2 yrs 25 mill each?
July 29th, 2026 at 9:10 am
Vita walks at season’s end. As does Baker. Enjoy the ‘rebuild’.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:11 am
You people who think these players are just mindless, yes sir kind of men. “Oh, he’ll just re-sign in 2027.”
No. He won’t.
Licht is a pawn. He’s not the King. And he is developing a reputation as a guy who runs off players rather than pays them. He will never get his reputation back as being a decent guy to his players, and he’s going to eventually get fired.
In the meantime, the existing players and the fans are going to have to suffer through the incompetence and mismanagement. Bowles loses, too.
Who thinks going into the start of the season with two of the major players disgruntled over how they’ve been shabbily treated by management boats well for a good season? This crap that “oh they’re going to play motivated” is such made up nonsense.
Anyone trying to find the silver lining like “oh they might get a good trade pick out of Vea,” is an idiot.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:14 am
Yes, I think LIcht and the Bucs have the leverage. However, you can’t deny the man is way underpaid. It is a question of doing the right thing for a player who has been one of the best in the league. He has been one of the best players on the team and is unique in what he brings. He has been relatively injury free and been available for most games. I don’t think Vea wants to leave the team. However, if he continues to be ignored I think it makes the Bucs look really bad around the league. Sure maybe they win the money game but at what cost. I don’t know that Vea is smart to hold out. However, he may have little incentive to give his all. All of this along with the Baker drama just paints the team in a really negative way and certainly does nothing for morale. Pay the Man for what he has given you. The Bucs win that way and so does Vea. Yes comon Licht do the right thing. You love short term extension give him one and a pay raise.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:15 am
JL isn’t going to allow players to dictate trades. It sets a horrible precedent if you have to a player who wants a new deal.
Now I’m also sure he’s calling around and if there happens to be a deal that makes sense, then JL will listen. If there’s a team out the there that wants to deal a starting CB or a high 2 d round pick, maybe JL makes it happen.
But he wont just trade a player for peanuts just because a player “demands” a trade.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Without Evans and David, I’m concerned with the lack of leadership on this team without Vea. I know this isn’t a leadership move on his part, but I think the locker room forgives him quickly if this gets resolved. Hopefully a two year extension gets it done. I hope Vea stays with the Bucs! Too valuable with Kancey unable to prove he can stay healthy!
July 29th, 2026 at 9:25 am
football1
i agree…great post
GO BUCS!!!!
July 29th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Send him to Vegas and get Crosby and a mid round pick in return. Honestly, who knows what’ll happen. Joe mentioned that maybe Vea just wants out of training camp. Maybe he’s self preserving so he’ll have gas left in the tank this season being it is a contract year.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:26 am
What are you talking about ModHairKen with that Lichts reputation of running off players? Honestly wtf are you talking about.
Mike Evans? You think Licht ran off Mike Evans by offering him the most amount of money? Are you talking about Lavonte David? Who retired because he absolutely needs to retire?
This teams reputation has had players taking team friendly deals. I can’t think of any reason as to why Licht in your mind is running off players.
You should go outside man.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:28 am
I don’t think they extend him either they will probably let him finish out his contract and find a replacement for the next season doubt he will hold out and I highly doubt anyone is gonna send a second for him.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:28 am
The Price is Right
He will!
And should!
July 29th, 2026 at 9:30 am
Saying Licht runs players off (or doesn’t) – it is semantics. What matters is what actually happens. If they lose Evans, Vita Vea, and Mayfield within a 12 month period – the why doesn’t matter so much, but it happens on Licht’s watch and that is a stink you can’t wash off.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:42 am
He’s perhaps slightly underpaid, not woefully underpaid. The difference between his salary and the number 10 guy is very small. And all of this is skewed by the recent contracts for much younger players. Give him a raise and guarantee his money for this year while you work out a smaller deal. No way. Should the contract be for anything more than 3 years with maybe the first year guaranteed.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:44 am
Don’t forget option 3. Keep him for now, evaluate where we are at the trade deadline.
Either way I am around 90% sure he is in another uniform in 2027.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:46 am
If he holds out, he is risking not having the opportunity to prove he’s still worth the money. If he sits out, he will lose a year of salary plus be 32 trying to sign a contract. The best thing for him to do is get with Baker and say, Hey lets ball out so we can get paid.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:48 am
He’s 31, fat and can’t,t be counted on for more than 60 per cent of plays. Would love to see him teamed with Kancey but that has yet to happen. Never like caving to player’s demands.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:52 am
Aging out, often injured, situational player on a team that is not a contender. Why wouldn’t the Bucs want to deal him? Take a 3rd and get him gone!
July 29th, 2026 at 9:52 am
Vita has ZERO leverage. He either plays under the contract and hits FA next offseason or he sits out and doesn’t get paid and he’s STILL under contract with us for 2027. Guess we could just go as far as guaranteeing his salary this year to ease his mind but we don’t have to trade, cut or extend him. It’s all on him.
July 29th, 2026 at 9:58 am
“Aging out, often injured, situational player on a team that is not a contender.”
missed more games in 2020 that he’s missed from 2021 to right now and is coming off a season he played the most snaps and was available every single game.
Some of ya’ll should stay in the woodwork
July 29th, 2026 at 10:02 am
So holding out of camp, but still in attendance, holding bags during warm ups for his teammates and fingers crossed he get a new deal in TB.
This news has however, shown how terrible Buc fans are at bartering deals and some of you would be happier than pigs in you know what, for a 2nd rounder when you can set the bar MUCH, MUCH higher lol
Sign of not knowing what you got and underselling the value, aka fleece magnets
July 29th, 2026 at 10:04 am
Licht always wants more than a player is worth.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:05 am
After Evan’s surprised everybody and left – anything is possible.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:06 am
Trade Vea so our run defense will be just as bad as our pass defense? Yeah some of you are pure genius.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:15 am
With Evans ( thankfully in my unpopular opinion…he would have pouted with anything less than 1000 yard season ) turning down the contract…where does that money go ? I realize the salary cap is nuanced but still.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Called it. A day of stirring the pot.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:44 am
This is starting to remind me of the infamous OJ Howard debacle. Bill Belecheat wanted to trade for OJ Howard because Gronk retired offered Licht I believe a third day pick. But the Bucs deemed OJ was too valuable so keep him.This was October 2019 in 2020 Howard caught 11 passes and in 2021 14 passes then wasn’t resigned and signed with Houston and caught an unimpressive 10 passes. Then retired the following year. One of the top first round busts by the bucs.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:44 am
Do not trade him. We need him this year.
It would mean sacrificing the season…which I suppose the trolls would love…but I wouldn’t.
If Vea gets injured, his price will go down next year. If he has a career year, we reap the benefit. That’s more valuable than a second rounder.
I wouldn’t resign him next year unless dirt cheap.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:45 am
I am not saying Vita is like OJ but looks like the same T berry shuffle.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:57 am
Steven007 … ‘He’s perhaps slightly underpaid, not woefully underpaid.’
Definitely agree. Vea was drafted Rnd1 #12 in 2018 and received $14.8 mil for 4 years. Bucs took his 5th year option for 2022 for $7.6 mil. He then willingly signed a 4-year contract for $71 mil in 2023, meaning that he’s a free agent AFTER this year. So he’ll have made $94.4 mil in his 8 years with the Bucs. But he’s 31 years old, so he can either retire if he chooses or play another 2-3 year contract making in the range of probably another $50-$75 mil. That’d bring him somewhere in the neighborhood of $145 – $170 mil for his career. Not bad for your first 10-11 years of work after graduating college.
I wouldn’t blame Jason Licht one bit if he forgoes giving out any more big $$$ contracts. In 2024 & 2025 we inked big contracts on Wirfs ($28.1 mil/yr), Godwin ($22.0 mil/yr), Winfield ($21.0 mil/yr), Goedeke ($22.5 mil/yr), McCollum ($16.0 mil/yr), and several others for lesser amounts. Just those 5 contracts amounted to $110 mil. I like all 5 of them, but not one of them played last year like they were worth the money they’re making.
And as far as Vea not being motivated to play this year unless he gets a new contract, that’s horsepuckey IMO. The amount of money he makes going forward will largely depend on what he puts on film this year. Teams will be concerned that he’ll turn 32 in February, and if his 2026 film says ‘Sorry Vita, but you looked every bit of OLD’ then the money won’t follow.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:57 am
If you love someone, set them free. Sting.
July 29th, 2026 at 10:58 am
Really sick of light and Bowels, time to move on…
July 29th, 2026 at 11:02 am
If a crappy team offers their 1st rounder next year, send him.
We need to draft a QB next year for the rebuild.
July 29th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Derrick Brooks held out in training camp in 2000 over a contract dispute.
This is nothing new.
July 29th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Yeah get a 2nd and draft Braswell again. He’s gonna stick around and play hard. He’s good for one more good year then draft/sign a replacement for next year when he’s 32 and doesn’t get the 20-25 mil he wants.
July 29th, 2026 at 11:40 am
“That’s not the franchise’s style.”
And what exactly is this franchise’s style. Let me see:
* Keep a bottom tier HC while firing all the coaches the HC hired.
* Refuse to see that the D lost all confidence in the HC last year.
* Allow you HOF receiver to walk for less money because you can’t convince him you can put a winning team on the field + the HC points above.
* Play games with the contract extension of one of your best linemen to the point he wants out.
* Don’t extend your QB.
* Refuse to admit that your GM is barely average given all the recent drat busts & his inability to put together a top roster with the money he has not been paying a QB.
Now that’s ‘style’??????
July 29th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
History doesn’t show too much trading of players for high draft picks.
July 29th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
Critmark, spot on.
July 29th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Nah you let him play that last year of the contract then you replace him makes no sense to trade him for less or to create a big hole in your dline for a stupid negotiation tactic old ass vita isn’t sitting out he has zero leverage.
July 29th, 2026 at 12:58 pm
A 2027 2nd-Rounder (especially THIS draft with THIS class) is a 💯 NO-BRAINER. You can’t do that fast enough. But, I just can’t see any team offering it up right now. The Bucs are in fine position, and shouldn’t be in any hurry. Vea is NOT walking-away from $18-MILLION. And, we do have that pesky little Franchise Tag thing again, for next season. Where “next season” is still, an awfully looooong ways away!!!!
July 29th, 2026 at 3:10 pm
VV can’t pass a physical anyway
July 29th, 2026 at 3:20 pm
Give Big Vita a 2 yr deal worth 48 to 50 mil.
July 29th, 2026 at 4:33 pm
JL is probably putting VV50’s contract negotiations on hold until a BM6 deal is done. Time will tell. I’m sure Bowles wants a deal done. Is VV50 just posturing? Your guess is as good as mine.
July 29th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
The disease of ‘Me’ kills teams. Why more guys don’t understand that, I’ll never know. Maybe it’s fun being the highest paid guy on a terrible team, who knows?