Vita Vea’s Agent Thinks Trade From Bucs Is Inevitable
August 5th, 2026
Vita Vea asked for a trade and, like any reasonable person who made such a bold demand, he meant it.
The Bucs won’t extend Vea’s contract and/or give him raise and he’s unhappy to the point he wants out.
Collin Roberts, Vea’s agent, told TampaBay.com a trade appears inevitable, via a story published this afternoon. “I just don’t see it ending in anything but a trade at this point,” he said.
Vea was Tampa Bay’s first-round draft pick in 2018. He became an iconic Buccaneer and a fan favorite.
The Bucs could keep Vea and he wouldn’t get paid if he doesn’t play in the regular season. And since Vea seems all about the cash at this point in his career, it’s a safe bet he would show up in Week 1 of the regular season and do his best to have a great year.
Would that be worth it for the Bucs? Doubtful.
However, Joe doesn’t think the Vea saga is over. Joe explained how rookies Rueben Bain and Josiah Trotter, among others, could inspire a change in stance from the powers brokers at One Buc Palace.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
He doesn’t want to honor the contract that he signed. Trade him for a pick and a cornerback. Keep the drama to a minimum.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
‘F him. Trade his a$$.
Get a 2nd and a 5th.
Take his face down off the stadium.
Remember this when it comes to the Ring of Dishonor.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:17 pm
Bake and Vita: Bad Ju-Ju for training camp…….
August 5th, 2026 at 4:23 pm
If Vita doesn’t want to be here – so be it. Seems with the guys we have – a 4-3 might be the way to go. And if SVD only has to cover 1/3 of the field, he may actually tackle someone before he chases them down the field.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:25 pm
RELAX.
Agent speak. Still a month away from Week 1
August 5th, 2026 at 4:25 pm
If he truly wants out of Tampa, then wait until the regular season and trade him. Dude was a part time player anyway. If he’s just saying he wants a trade then give him a bump in salary this year and be done with him after this year.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
He doesn’t want to lose out on a year’s salary. He’ll play.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Wouldn’t mind getting a 2nd
August 5th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Sign Baker to 4 years!!
If VEA doesn’t want a two-year extension, trade him. Get early second and a fourth.
Because two years is all he has left. Everything after that will be tens of millions of wasted dead cap space, he’s already been declining
August 5th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
F it. Trade him. If this was Bill Belichick, he would have already been traded for a 2nd rounder and used that on a good corner in this years’ draft.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
Trade him. If this was Bill Belichick, he would have already been traded for a 2nd rounder and used that on a good corner in this years’ draft.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
That’s a silly take. NFL teams repeatedly break the terms contracts they sign their players to. This is just business.
The Bucs should trade him though. For the overwhelming majority of his career he typically plays half of the defensive snaps. If someone is willing to part with a 2nd for a players who has historically been a part time player (in terms of snaps) then move him.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
Relax folks. Does anyone remember Derrick Brooks holding out of training camp in 2001 with TWO years left on his contract??? The holdout lasted 11 days. He returned to camp and signed an extension before the season began.
Licht won’t accept anything less than a second round pick. And why should he? If Vea leaves in free agency next year, the Bucs will likely get a third round compensatory pick.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Honest (and probably silly) question – I know he wants out of Tampa because we won’t pay him, but don’t we hold all the cards because he’s under contract? If he sits out the season, he won’t get game checks AND it will hurt his value next year during free agency. If we don’t trade him and he plays, he will have to play well or again, he will hurt his value in free agency. If he fakes an injury, this again will hurt his value. Soooo, what am I missing here?
August 5th, 2026 at 4:32 pm
Again in KGB voice. Pay the man his money
August 5th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
Yes yes – this approach worked so well for Hassan Reddick’s career. I hope he is smart enough to play this year and negotiate later. What choice does he have except holding out, losing a ton of money, then being “that guy” like Hassan.
August 5th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
Well Colin Roberts, feel free to bring in trade offers!
August 5th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Are Kancey, Roberts, Nacho, Robinson, and Capeheart so bad and incompetent that they can’t hold the line ? if I recall correctly, the 25 players on the defensive side of the ball last year were at one time split 5 in each skill group – DL LB OLB S CB – those 5 should do ok without Vea
August 5th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
When players under perform, owners cut em and dont honor the contract they agreed to. When players over perform, they hold out and ask for more instead of honoring their contract. Either way, NFL contracts are rarely honored. Nature of the beast.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
To the above comment, if you assured me those other lineman, Kancey specifically would be healthy all year then not much of a concern to let Vea walk. Not saying his size and power is replaceable but the sky wouldn’t fall.
The bucs will be eyeing Jayson Jones, Roberts, Simmons etc very carefully as they weigh their Vea decision.
Vea absolutely seems the type to show up for his money and fake an injury (although that’s risky when team doctors are involved cause then this gets real messy and into litigation as the Bucs will surely try not to pay at that point). Either way if the Bucs play hardball, I don’t think we get a very good Vita.
Free agency wouldn’t be hurt much. He just tells potential suitors that he kept his body fresh and didn’t give 100% but will for them.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
(Copied from other significantly older thread…)
Realistically, the Bucs have the talent to beat almost any team with health. That offensive line can keep them in any game if we let it. Just run the football. A lot. That opens up the pass and our O-line will provide plenty of holes to run through- even against the best teams! Couple that with much stronger defense (which we will lose without Vea since we immediately start having trouble stopping the run up the middle) and suddenly every game looks winnable. The difference between a healthy and heavily injured offensive line is **enormous** on this team with all the high draft picks on the line…let’s do this! Also, don’t look now but David Walker has a sack in 5 successive practices. If he keeps this up he’s gonna be pushing Yaya to start. Yeah, I said it.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
So the team decides to keep Bowles and then runs off the player that Bowles calls the most important player on defense. How about if we trade Bowles and keep Vea?
August 5th, 2026 at 5:08 pm
Pay the man. 2 Year extension, 49 million. He’s better than all of the guys that have gotten paid this off-season. Is he older? Yes. Is he still playing at a high level? Yes! Do I anticipate him still being worth the money 2 years from now, YES!!
August 5th, 2026 at 5:09 pm
Bucsfan252, that was funny bro!!!
Rounders was a superb movie, haha!!
August 5th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
We’ve been too nice for too long.
It’s time to get à 1st and a CB.
Vea is still elite.
He is worth a 1st round pick. Ànd à cornerback.
This is actually à blessing in disguise.
We can grab an elite NT in the 1st or 2nd next year.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:13 pm
You’re missing the fact that it flushes this season down the toilet and this could be a very surprisingly good season. If we trade him, it gives that potential away… and not for enough return.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:16 pm
he refuses to play and pretends to be injured he dont get paid it a 56m cap hit if traded not happening
August 5th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Vea still has one year on his contract. If he doesn’t play, he will still have one year on his contract.(And a slightly lower bank statement than he planned for)
He will not be eligible for free agency until he plays out that last contract year, or we release him.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:22 pm
Would the Bucs get better draft picks if we trade now or later after some games have been played?
August 5th, 2026 at 5:36 pm
Nice!…. Evans Express !
August 5th, 2026 at 5:41 pm
Our best outcome is we force him to play the season and then let him walk. We’ll get a third round compensatory pick
August 5th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
On a day where Aaron Donald just did a tryout for LA, this is what we’re doing. It’s like being on the have-not end of the haves and have nots.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Good gosh Vita has played 8 years in the NFL how much more can he have in his tank ? He’s definitely on the downside of his expected abilities as a defensive tackle.
Go Bucs !!
August 5th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
All those squawking that Vita needs to honor his contract need to remember that he has been approached multiple times over the years by the team to restructure his contract and he agreed to it every single time. (It may have benefited him that I admit). However, it goes both ways.
August 5th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
I feel bad for Vita . Without the extension his family will be on food stamps.
He will have to accept a job as a strawberry farmer. Life just isn’t fair.
August 5th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Only Tampa bay would not advance the contracts of its 2 best players. One on offense, and the other on defense. You cannot make this up. You really can’t.
August 5th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Beeej Says: “Our best outcome is we force him to play the season and then let him walk. We’ll get a third round compensatory pick.”
Excellent point. Unless a team is super desperate or loses a DT in training camp, I highly doubt they give up anything higher than a 2nd round pick.
August 5th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
He’s not man enough to honor his contract; send him packing.
August 5th, 2026 at 6:04 pm
Basically Tampa traded the rights to Josh Allen in the draft to get vita vea back in the day. And now this?
August 5th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Let him walk. Trade him for a Cubano and 3 beers.
If he doesn’t want to be a Buc, make it happen.
Cut any and all (even possible) locker room cancers out of the building.
Talking to you too, Mayfield.
August 5th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
Fans are funny when they say he won’t play out his contract blah blah blah. Swap positions with him in your line of work. If you are the longest tenured at your job and you are out performing your pay grade…. Wouldn’t you ask your boss for more compensation or find another job? It’s pretty much the same thing. Yeah these guys are making millions and any of us would take that kind of compensation but we don’t play in the NFL. Pay the man!!
August 5th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
@Mcruzer
You said he restructured his contract and it benefited him. So what should he being praised for by you. I’m missing g something. He redid his contract same money he was making just more paid upfront in the form of a signing bonus so we can stretch it out over multiple years and get cap money that year. What did he do so jolly that we should take into account. He didn’t take a pay cut.