Second-Round Pick Rumblings For Vita Vea
July 30th, 2026
Joe pays attention when Tampa native (Alonso High grade) and former NFL defensive tackle Leger Douzable speaks because he played for Todd Bowles, nine NFL teams in total, and he’s a busy analyst working for CBS Sports and SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Douzable is a likeable guy and Joe’s seen him talking to movers and shakers at the NFL annual meeting.
On Tuesday, Douzable was talking Vita Vea on CBS Sports HQ.
What intrigued Joe was Douzable referencing sources he’s spoken to. It seems not only did they not scoff at the notion of Vea being traded from Tampa Bay, they told Douzable the ransom would be steep.
“If you’re a team vying for the services of Vita Vea, how much draft capital are you going to have to give up? From people I’ve talked to, it’s probably going to be around a second-round pick and then some,” Douzable said. “So then you have to consider, not only are we giving up draft capital for the future, but we’re getting a 31 year old and we’re going to give him a new [contract] extension.”
Douzable went on to say he believes the Bills, Packers and Chargers are top landing spots from the Bucs’ manbeast nose tackle.
Joe is confident Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht is fielding calls for Vea from multiple teams. That means there’s a competitive market.
Joe absolutely could see a contender like those teams are coughing up a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick for Vea in exchange for Vea and, say, a Bucs fourth-rounder.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Vita is worth more than a mediocre unproven draft pick. No thank you
July 30th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Tough love but
DO IT!
After all JL has a long history with his 2nd round draft picks
😎
July 30th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Licht’s biggest accomplishment in his career is the San Francisco 49ers saying no thanks to Tom Brady and having Brady fall into his lap. I think we can stop with the Ring of Honor accolades.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:46 am
Vita aint going anywhere!!!
Licht has a history of extending/signing players in AUG/during Training Camp…a deal will be made next week…book it
GO BUCS!!!!
July 30th, 2026 at 9:47 am
While I am in the “keep him” camp, every man has his price.
A 2 and a 5 for a 4, may just be mine.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:48 am
so now you’re suggesting less than a second-rounder?
July 30th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Again, Giants got a 10th overall pick for Dexter Lawerence in a trade & sign which got him $10M guaranteed with an extension worth $28M with a year added to his deal.
Hypothetically accepting a 2nd round pick for Vita would be stupid on our front offices’ part and sounds more like what teams offered without our FO posting any realistic comp because trading Vita would also be stupid.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:50 am
A second and some? If that’s the case you definitely have to consider it. For as good as Vea is/has been he still only plays 55-60% of the snaps and is on the wrong side of 30. The business side is tough but at the end of the day he requested the trade. If they’re really getting those kind of offers send him on his way
July 30th, 2026 at 9:52 am
Also, Vita is making $0 guaranteed this year and for all the grouping Baker Mayfields’ situation to this, the $30M bonus he’s already cashed in is more than Vea is making for the entire year.
So it’s sounds the same, but hits much differently monetarily.
July 30th, 2026 at 9:56 am
We dont give up a single draft pick!
July 30th, 2026 at 9:57 am
I’m not begging any player to stay for money. Loyalty still matters, and that’s becoming rare. If Mt. Vita stays, awesome now go wreck offenses. If he leaves and the return is a 2nd round pick or better, so be it. Jason Licht (while not perfect) has earned the benefit of the doubt turning premium draft capital into impact players.
Analytics consistently show second-round picks become quality starters at a much higher rate than later round selections. Vita the Diva has put us in this spot, and at the end of the day we’re not asking for anything beyond what’s already agreed to honor the contract, control what you can control, play like the All-Pro you are, and let whatever is unsettled sort itself out next year.
Championship organizations don’t panic, they pivot.
🔥 LFG!
July 30th, 2026 at 10:05 am
A second round pick for Vita Vea from those teams are gonna be at the end of the first round. An additional pic or trade need to be thrown in from the team receiving him.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Some folks are ignoring the FACT Licht made this team solid before Brady came.
Licht deserves the Ring of Honor accolades. Ask yourself why Brady had the Bucs as a second option in the first place? Answer Licht’s solid defense with stout receivers.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Much depends on the team involved in the trade.
Cards, Jets, Browns… A second rounder might be in the low 30’s.
A contender? A second may end up #64.
That’s a pretty wide margin.
Considering the cap hit as well… I wouldn’t trade for less than a first round pick in total value.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:17 am
Saw a clip of Jerry Jones saying he’d be willing to trade a first round draft pick to add to his defense.
In Jerry’s words….
“ “A top pick is expendable this year for me to add to somebody that meaningfully would help us now,” he said, unequivocally. “And we would have the right kind of spot on our team for it. So I’m not just looking for a player. We’re looking for somebody that can add to the mix here.”
July 30th, 2026 at 10:21 am
And I’m a little tired of the stat comparisons.
Vea eats double teams on nearly every snap.
That’s kinda like having an extra man on the line. Some would call that cheating.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:24 am
BucsfanNJ. Ok let’s see if you actually believe that then you’re not that smart. Go look at their QB at the time deff not an upgrade over Brady. Have some common sense dude. Also licht brought BA out of retirement straight stole JPP from the giants traded for gronk signed head case AB and if he wasn’t such a head case we prob have back to back SB. Let’s not forget the whole secondary on the our SB team licht drafted. He’s also drafted 2 shoe in HOF players on Evans and Wirfs and the icing on top is Wirfs is the best T at right and left. Licht isn’t perfect but he’s dam good GM who built a team to win a SB. Have you done that ? Madden doesn’t count lol. Get a grip dude. You don’t have to like him but he will be in the ROH.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:25 am
@ warrin
“Again, Giants got a 10th overall pick for Dexter Lawerence in a trade & sign which got him $10M guaranteed with an extension worth $28M with a year added to his deal.”
First of all little buddy – Vea is NOT a DT or DE.
Second – Vea is a 3-4 NT.
Third – Davis is the highest paid NT in the NFL at @ $26M per…
Fourth – I would be OK with giving Vea a little bump to keep him happy but you are talking insane numbers with that Carter deal.
Fifth – you are ignoring Vea’s age. These others dudes (Davis/Carter) are youngsters compared to Vea.
Get real dude.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:29 am
So the difficult thing here is that a second round pick isn’t really great if considering the teams that want his services. That pick will be at the end of round two, you can’t replace Vita’s production with a third round pick. But he is 31 and how long will those wheels last. It’s just kind of an odd situation. How much can you get for older player vs what will you miss. If you don’t trade him or extend him, he won’t be here next year anyway.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Initially I was thinking that a 2 might not be worth it given some of the busts we’ve had. But upon further reflection we’ve had some good second round picks as well.
Also – if we finish like I expect us to finish – 8 wins, it likely puts us around picking 15th again. An extra two might help us move up for a qb if we like him enough.
July 30th, 2026 at 10:51 am
WBL
PREACH!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
July 30th, 2026 at 10:54 am
“First of all little buddy – Vea is NOT a DT or DE.
Second – Vea is a 3-4 NT.
Third – Davis is the highest paid NT in the NFL at @ $26M per…”
Cool story
But let me ask you if our usage of nickel sub-package has been 68% in 2023, 64% in 2024, and 71% in 2025. btw our lowest usage of
Now, I know this is where things get hard for you Marine because it involves math, but if there are 5 DBs & 2 ILB(that equals 7 btw) then how many men would be left over to line up on the defensive line? 64-71% of the time.
Hint 1: it’s >3
Hint 2: 11-7=???
LMAO, of course Vita line up in 0-1 Techs, but he also provides positional flexibility and can play the 3 technique.
Oh and just because that also involves numbers lemme tell you how those techniques work in terms of alignment, so you can release yourself from thinking Vitas’ position is as cut and dry as you think enough to post it multiple times.
0 techs line up directly over the Center
1 techs line up in the A-gap between the C & G
2 techs line up directly Guard
3 techs line up on the outside shoulder of the guard
There’s more to explain, but I know from past interactions with you numbers are hard. So yes, Vita is listed as an NT, but that didn’t happen until Bowles got to town and that also didn’t stop Vea from lining up in every single one of the alignments(and more) playing for us. So you trying to say “He’s an NT, not a DT” when both terms end in tackle that play defense on the defensive line is funny to me.
In the future when you’re trying to be a smart ass, make sure you’ve got the first part of that term cleared, otherwise you just sound like an ass.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:04 am
“Fifth – you are ignoring Vea’s age. These others dudes (Davis/Carter) are youngsters compared to Vea.”
-MarineBuc
I didn’t mention either of these dudes, so idk why you’re talking as if I did
but wait there’s more:
“Also for all the talk of Vitas’ age, you’ve got guys like Leonard Williams, Poona Ford, Cam Heyward, DeForest Buckner, & Chris Jones all past 30 and some of these dudes are playing some of the best football of their careers.”
-WBL from a totally different post.
Just loud and wrong.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:05 am
@ warrin
“So yes, Vita is listed as an NT”
BOOM BABY!!!!
Spank you helpie helperton.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:06 am
The new coach is going to need extra picks next year.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:07 am
I agree with BucfanNJ. Joe needs to delete that keyboard shortcut.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:08 am
@ warrin
“So yes, Vita is listed as an NT”
We finally agree on something.
See – that wasn’t so hard now – was it?
July 30th, 2026 at 11:11 am
LMAO predictable, Idk why I even bother with a guy that thought -$13M + savings
Or a guy that thinks Vita can line up in the 0 and shift into the 3 pre-snap means he plays a different position
Can’t talk nuisance with nincompoops
July 30th, 2026 at 11:17 am
@ warrin
Please tell me – if you were GM right now what would be your solution to the Vita Vea issue?
I promise I will listen to your suggestion and reply respectfully…
Give it to me big boy.
July 30th, 2026 at 11:25 am
Glazers have lost confidence in Licht and are not spending any money
Glazers know the next HC will want to build his own scheme and roster
Glazers will NEVER put Licht in the Ring of Honor
July 30th, 2026 at 11:30 am
@ Todd
Who deserves to be in the ROH in Tampa more?
1) Tom Brady
2) Jason Licht
Anyone can answer as well.
I would put TB12 in the ROH over JL.
But that is just my $.02
July 30th, 2026 at 11:46 am
“Please tell me – if you were GM right now what would be your solution to the Vita Vea issue?”
Nah, answer the simpler question, we’re in nickel >60% of the time, how many men would play on the D-Line and how often do you think Vea lines up as a 0-tech in that front
I’ve commented plenty on what we should do with Vea, read around you’re in every comment section I’m in and it’s not like I type in cuniform. Maybe crayon would help you comprehend better.
July 30th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
I think if they trade vea and I don’t think they will they are tipping their hand with thinking like a lot of fans are thinking that this season is a bust and they shouldn’t have kept Todd.
July 30th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
I’m with Drunk Bucs Fan here. People say don’t do this or that. But..Every man has a price people. If Licht is fielding calls, that means somebody wants Big Vita. I’d take a 2nd rounder and 2 good players for him. Wouldn’t you?
July 30th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
JL’ s 2nd round track record is atrocious. Keep Vea.