NFL Network: Bucs Haven’t Talked Contract Extension With Vita Vea
August 19th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Vita Vea asked to be traded and it’s becoming increasingly clear why.
The Bucs’ manbeast defensive tackle didn’t have to make that big leap to request getting launched from Tampa. He could have had his hold-in/faux injury without asking out of town. Or he could have held out and, you know, posted workout videos from home on social media.
So why did Vea go to the trade-me extreme? Perhaps it’s because the Bucs have completely shunned his demands.
Vea wants a giant raise and he has no contract for next year. The Bucs, per NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport yesterday, have shown no legit interest in extending Vea’s contract.
“It certainly seems like he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers really have not gotten off the ground with any talks of a possible extension. My understanding is they really didn’t go down the road at all to a possible extension,” Rapoport said.
As Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman has said many times, Vea will not succeed in pushing around Team Glazer and Jason Licht into a market-value contract this summer.
So how much is Vea willing to dig in? And is Licht willing to keep an unhappy player who is getting rustier by the day? Rapoport said “this one’s not quite over yet.”
Meanwhile, the trade market for Vea seems vibrant, with multiple teams ready to deal.
Joe has maintained a Vea trade could be a very smart move, though there’s no way Licht would trade Vea until he sees his other defensive tackles emerge from the preseason healthy.
August 19th, 2026 at 5:34 am
I’m just not getting this.
August 19th, 2026 at 5:54 am
Somebody else would be more than happy to pay him & be glad to have him if you guys don’t wanna pay him.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:00 am
At this point, I have to believe they’re waiting for SOME team to have a catastrophic loss on the interior D line and the Bucs will demand a dear payment for VV
August 19th, 2026 at 6:01 am
Suh is playing 5D chess…with Vita’s money.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:12 am
Glazers know very well that the reality of firing a coach and GM after this season is staring them in the face so their thought process is putting the team salary cap in good order going into next season.
Glazers want to be able to hire the absolute best candidate available(probably McDermott) with no requirement that the new coach pinch pennies. It’s a bucs life.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:16 am
We are getting younger and cheaper – VV doesn’t fit that profile anymore so will be traded in the end for a low 2nd round pick at best.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:18 am
Next week would be ideal for a team to offer a good trade right before the beginning of this season.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:18 am
This is smart move by Licht. Bucs should stay put until all DL players are healthy at the start of the season. Who knows, if another team has an injury, the VV market value might go up.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:24 am
he might as well sit out. not like he is poor and needs the money. better to sit out then play for a team that doesnt want to make a market deal and move forward together. screw them and their pandering banner on the side of rayjay. has it been taken down yet?
August 19th, 2026 at 6:25 am
So we’ll hear news of an extension tomorrow lol.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:27 am
Trade him at the deadline. Save the money. Screw the jackass whining multi multi millionaire quitter over. Get a decent return
August 19th, 2026 at 6:34 am
Like Todd^^ said. This seems like it’s all the Glazers. You can’t blame them either, they’re waiting to see the results from this season. But, if they’re not going to resign Vita now there’s no way he stays after the season is over. They need to just trade him and get what they can. This is a bad look on both parties time to cut bait and move along.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:38 am
Trading vita is about as dumb as not signing Baker to a long term… oh wait!!!!
Our D looks like it it might be on the cusp of being really good and we let a little extension harpoon the whole thing . Ridiculous!!’
August 19th, 2026 at 6:42 am
Tomlin and McDermott will be available at the end of the season.
The Glazers are not doing anything this year.
Baker, Bowles and the boys flopped last year.
The defense was pathetic and Baker kept turning the ball over to lose games.
If we don’t play well this year, Licht, Bowles, Baker, Winfield, Vea and Zion are gone.
The Glazers are playing it smart. They are patient Gods.
They will give everyone one last chance this year.
Vea should realize he’s in a contract year at 31 years old. He should have come to camp and tried to be a pro bowler this year. Instead, he’s getting out of shape and putting himself at risk of injury.
Baker, Zion and Vea are all in prove it or lose it years.
The Glazers are smart. From à professional point of view, they are doing the right thing.
August 19th, 2026 at 6:55 am
Steven #55 … ‘We are getting younger and cheaper – VV doesn’t fit that profile anymore so will be traded’.
You got me curious with that Steven. According to Spotrac, Bucs average age (at the end of 2024) was 26.1 (7th youngest). Our average age at the end of last season (2025) rose to 26.6 (16th youngest … middle of the pack).
We won’t really know what our average age is this season until we cut-down to 53 players (most cut will be youngsters). Right now though (with 91 players) we’re tied with Saints for the 10th youngest team in the NFL this season (with 26.1 average age) but that’ll surely change for all teams once cut-downs to 53 occur). But since we’ve got so many guys age 30 or older (right now we’ve got 14 of them, and almost all will probably make the team), I would think that we’ll end up with an older team than what we had last season (26.6 average).
Scary thing is that most of those 30 & older are on 1-year contracts. JL’s gonna have a lot of negotiating to do come next year. Hmmm, maybe he should practice with Vea & Mayfield just to get the feel for it.