Jason Licht Reacts To Vita Vea’s Contract Extension
August 19th, 2026
Bucs’ GM relieved.
Reports at the start of training camp that Bucs Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea injured his back demanded a trade claimed Vea had his heels dug in and was willing to go the distance to stand up for his honor and get paid a fair wage.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was equally entrenched, saying he had no plans to trade Vea.
Well, cooler heads prevailed. Vea agreed to an extension on Wednesday.
And after the dust settled, Licht offered his words of relief that Vea’s injured back is healed contract hassle is over.
“Vita is exactly the type of player and person we want to build around in Tampa Bay,” Licht said in a statement issues Wednesday night. “He has been a dominant force in the middle of our defense, an exceptional teammate, and a tremendous leader in our locker room.
“One of the keys to our recent success has been our ability to draft, develop and re-sign core, foundational players who set the standard for what it means to be a Buccaneer.
“As one of our team leaders, Vita has played a big role in establishing that winning culture, and we are excited to have him continuing to help lead the way as we pursue our next championship.”
With Vea locked up, that makes the middle of the Bucs’ defense a gnarly group to tangle with:: A’Shawn Robinson, Calijah Kancey, Alex Anzalone, Josiah Trotter, Antoine Winfield, Tykee Smith and Vea.
Good luck between the hashmarks for opposing offenses.
https://t.co/mk0HH13s4I pic.twitter.com/h2HoXY590J
— Alex Anzalone (@AlexAnzalone34) August 19, 2026
August 19th, 2026 at 8:56 pm
You forgot Sirvocea Joe, lol.
August 19th, 2026 at 8:58 pm
I’m stoked though. Great extension that is pretty darn reasonable for both sides. Now Jason has to Bake.
August 19th, 2026 at 8:58 pm
Let’s f****** go!!! No brainer resigning! Vea is a beast! We are better with him on the field then off or with another team! Go Bucs!!
August 19th, 2026 at 9:02 pm
I think I like this Anzalone dude. We’re going to have a good defense this year. And I ain’t whistling Dixie.
August 19th, 2026 at 9:03 pm
Licht got bent over the table. Daddy G had to fix the mess he created.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The time is running out on the mismanagement.
August 19th, 2026 at 9:07 pm
Glad vita got paid a reasonable amount at 24 million a year and not 28+ million. CB is still a big issue. Not sure we get a CB with what little cap space we have left.
August 19th, 2026 at 9:08 pm
See that!!!!
The words dominate, success, establishing a winning culture, NEXT CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!
You can’t use those words when describing baker lol
PROVE IT BAKER!!!!….Vita has PROVED IT, and that’s why he’s paid
Baker won’t be here in 2027 lol…sorry Bakies!!!!…the tribe has spoken
GO BUCS
August 19th, 2026 at 9:13 pm
I think joe owes SUH an apology lol
He was right lol….he’s a excellent adviser
GO BUCS
August 19th, 2026 at 9:14 pm
I really am getting excited about what this Defense might shape up to be with the New Faces and Studs that we now have. The Front Seven should be awfully formidable. LFG
August 19th, 2026 at 9:23 pm
There’s Laughing Licht…gets to be friends again with VV…congratulating himself for drafting, developing and topping off players while having recent success. Define recent…not post Arians Era. Middling maybe…in a compromised NFC South.
August 19th, 2026 at 9:28 pm
Who gets to ask Baker about Vita 1st
August 19th, 2026 at 9:33 pm
“I think joe owes SUH an apology lol
He was right lol….he’s a excellent adviser“
Vita needs to give “Big Gurl” a call and buy him lunch or a give him a couple dollars to flip. Babysit or something lol
August 19th, 2026 at 9:34 pm
The sun shone again on the City of Tampa as it does every summer evening after the late afternoon rain. No need for umbrellas, kids, the storm has passed.
August 19th, 2026 at 9:52 pm
One of the keys to our recent success……
3rd and 28
8-9
No playoffs
Yep….success……
August 19th, 2026 at 9:54 pm
I believe they offered Mayfield two years at the going rate but he said no- I think this set a consistent precedent. I think it’s a fair approach. None of these guys are world beaters, they are good they flash and they have upside. I think the team is just playing out Bowles contract as well.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:05 pm
Baker will certainly be here in 2027. And in 2028. And in 2029. And in 2030.
Get the picture?
He will be here because he is an awesome, fantastic quarterback. And his statistics in touchdowns and passing yards since he has been a Buccaneer say so without a doubt. Quarterbacks cannot win games by themselves, but they can demonstrate what an elite passer they are by passing for lots of yards and TDs! If they keep doing that, wins will follow.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:15 pm
All this other stuff aside, but why is Jack Pybrun trying to go back to school after already playing a preseason game?
August 19th, 2026 at 10:20 pm
Fat guy skips summer heat. Well played.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:25 pm
I fully understand Baker turning down the 2yr extension. Too many on here or through out the media only focus on the reported deal being north of $50M/yr on the 2 extension years but no one spoke of the guaranteed coin. Which was likely very low vs the market.
It’s pretty evident that the Bucs offer was short on not only years – but also not close on guaranteed coin – which caused Baker to state he felt Bucs offer was insulting & they were far apart…I mean, I probably would too if I was him, considering the market rate / length / guaranteed coin other league QB’s have signed recent actually have worse stats than Baker has the last several years.
Do I think any QB is really worth $50M+/yr…Not really, but the market is set…And unless the FO is 100% ready to go in a different direction in the 2027 draft and are 100% certain that a better option is behind door #2…Then the prudent choice to to keep the guy you have in the building now – even if it is no exactly where you want his coin – since the FA market looks bleak for 2027 – Outside of Baker, who is very likely to be the most coveted UFA QB on the market – if the Bucs let him get there.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:30 pm
Not “locked up” and nor should he be. He’s a 350lb past 30 years of age.
Great deal for him and us. He’ll be gone by ‘28 but that’s neither here or there.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:39 pm
Cautiously optimistic that this defense is going to do a 180 turnaround this season. I really like what I’m seeing this offseason with the pieces we’ve added, particularly in the front 7. If we can have even a semi-competent D we should win a lot of games.
August 19th, 2026 at 10:58 pm
It’s mind-numbing, the number of people with Stockholm Syndrome on here. The Bucs have not been (nor will be) EVEN CLOSE to being true legit Contenders, since Bowles has taken over… And, they ALL want more. Nothing will change as long as Lickt, Bowles, & Baker are leading this team. Period. End of Story. And, they’re all like, I WANT MORE… Please, GIVE ME MORE. We’re going to the SUPER BOWL. I just WANT MOOOOORE. Gimme MORE. More, More, More. I WANT MORE. Lmao. When, it’s been a ‘historically’ WEAK Division for now 5-YEARS running, and it has been a STRUGGLE just to barely squeak by, and WIN IT. Which, we couldn’t even do THAT last season. It’s going to be just more of the SAME for this season. And, there will be even more of it once again, for the NEXT season after that. But, GIVE ‘EM MORE. They LOVE IT.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:00 pm
Probably be a safe bet that the whole football team, and positively Baker, are thrilled that Vita’s padding up!!
Licht did his job. I was afraid listening to my favorite podcast that we were going to trade Vita. That’d have been a mistake.
I really don’t think it’s gonna make much difference whether we extend Baker or not right now. It’s time to start focusing on some football. We know Baker likes it here, and he’ll be dead focused on ball these next 3 weeks.
I’m with Stpetematt 100%.. I’d like to see Mayfield close out his career here. That could easily be 6-7 more years.
But it’s time to start getting ready for some nut cutting. Who’s making the roster? What’s the new hire Sage clone doing with our special teams? Guess he’s gonna need to see the final roster to get ready.
It’s really hot outside. But the days are getting shorter. Football season is almost here!
August 19th, 2026 at 11:13 pm
Haha Melvin Junior is so right.
I hate it
Also, I’ve been thinking for a while that they say our strength is the O line and sorry I just don’t see it.
Not consistently good.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:18 pm
It’s just a game – of course licht wants baker here. He’s not stupid
August 19th, 2026 at 11:37 pm
@ catcard202 – That is NOT true based on HISTORY alone, for 30+Year-Old Quarterbacks. They DON’T get deals that are over 3-YEARS, and that is exactly what Baker’s would have been. The ONLY ONE, who was not DRAFTED by their current team who did get over 3-YEARS at MAX-level $$$$ was Russell Wilson. Then, the ONLY other one (not named Tom Brady), was Dak Prescott. And that was AFTER he was already TAGGED TWICE, and actually played while UNDER IT once, BEFORE eventually EARNING that deal. So, it was a YEARS LONG process to get there. On top of that, DAK IS CLEARLY BETTER (and EVERYONE agrees). AND, he’s a much better LEADER (without any distractions), and once again, EVERYONE agrees on that, too!!!! Baker messed up REAL BAD. The Bucs dodged a BULLET. They gave him a freaking GIFT, just as they did during the first go around, when they were only bidding against THEMSELVES.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:55 pm
@ CleanHouse – Yeah, I’m not sold on the O-Line yet, either. 💯 Not even close.
August 19th, 2026 at 11:57 pm
Baker Mayfield will play his last down of being an NFL starting QB as a Buccaneer.
No Bucs fan, employee, coach, executive or owner would willfully allow this team to go into a season without a decent starting option at QB.
Otherwise, you’re the Steelers, Cardinals, Vikings, Jets, Cardinals, Falcons and Browns making the best of it with *bad* options.
Or you’re the Titans, Texans, Dolphins, Panthers and Saints living in limbo *hoping* the guy you picked first overall, drafted on a prayer or signed because they had a few good games as backup is as good as you’re telling the fans they are.
If Baker falls flat on his face in 2026 it probably won’t be his fault. Even if it is – he’s got enough good tape for the Bucs to know he’s better than anything they can get without a top 5 overall pick. Which they’re too good to get next year without committing most egregious tank job in NFL history.
Mayfield is here to stay until at least 2030.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:02 am
I don’t believe they’ll be much better (if at all) than what last season’s O-Line was. Which was average. A LOT better though, than the narratives being used as an EXCUSE for Baker’s poor play. They held up quite well, under the circumstances. And, for that alone, I believe they’ll be about the SAME. Not terrible, but not great, either. Just somewhere in between, though still GOOD ENOUGH. I believe they’ve been GREATLY overrated by people like T-Kriss (“top 3-5”) and many others.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:02 am
I thought Joe didnt want Vea to get paid. Joe said get rid of him. Now he is a beast? Come on Joes stand up for what you believe right the article saying it was a mistake instead of brown nosing.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:13 am
@ LouisFriend – Yeah, IMPOSSIBLE finding a Quarterback who could’ve been better than 3-8 with THAT schedule’s remaining 11-GAMES last season. Just DELUSIONAL. Tellin’ ya, man… It’s Stockholm Syndrome. THEN, mix-it with the everlasting undying LOVE of a Baker Boi Fantasy, & look at what ya got!!!! Lmao You can’t make it up. I mean, it’s REALLLL BADDDDDD. Shew. Straight up Looney Tunes.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:52 am
Rocky Says:
I thought Joe didnt want Vea to get paid. Joe said get rid of him.
***************
I think one of them leaned into the outcome being Vea getting traded. It’s a blog and they want readers ($) – not Peabody awards or journalistic excellence. Airing opinions to goad responses pays better than strict objectivity.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:55 am
CosmoKramer Says:
August 19th, 2026 at 9:52 pm
One of the keys to our recent success……
3rd and 28
8-9
No playoffs
Yep….success……
————————————
Hey Cosmo — What team do you root for? It certainly isn’t the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
August 20th, 2026 at 12:58 am
MelvinJunior Says:
August 19th, 2026 at 10:58 pm
It’s mind-numbing, the number of people with Stockholm Syndrome on here. The Bucs have not been (nor will be) EVEN CLOSE to being true legit Contenders, since Bowles has taken over… And, they ALL want more. Nothing will change as long as Lickt, Bowles, & Baker are leading this team. Period. End of Story. And, they’re all like, I WANT MORE… Please, GIVE ME MORE. We’re going to the SUPER BOWL. I just WANT MOOOOORE. Gimme MORE. More, More, More. I WANT MORE. Lmao. When, it’s been a ‘historically’ WEAK Division for now 5-YEARS running, and it has been a STRUGGLE just to barely squeak by, and WIN IT. Which, we couldn’t even do THAT last season. It’s going to be just more of the SAME for this season. And, there will be even more of it once again, for the NEXT season after that. But, GIVE ‘EM MORE. They LOVE IT.
———————————
It’s even more mind-numbing the number of people with the dumb-ass syndrome on here.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:37 am
$24M a year, for 2 years, is actually a pretty good deal for the Bucs – and it makes Vita happy. Solid deal for both parties, glad it got done.
August 20th, 2026 at 4:12 am
Good deal for both parties!
August 20th, 2026 at 4:29 am
Now we can hope he doesn’t take plays off
August 20th, 2026 at 4:51 am
smart move by Vea imo. just in case this D grabs headlines…
August 20th, 2026 at 5:38 am
The biggest winner of this negotiation is the Vita Vea stadium mural.
August 20th, 2026 at 5:56 am
would have been stupid to let the vita go for a few dollars and an extension after jason set the bar low giving one to zzzzzyon last year.
August 20th, 2026 at 6:12 am
Rod Munch … ‘$24M a year, for 2 years, is actually a pretty good deal for the Bucs – and it makes Vita happy. Solid deal for both parties’.
Exactly Rod! The result allowed both Vea & the Bucs to ‘save face’ (win-win for both) to a degree. Spotrac shows the result as being …
‘Vita Vea signed a 1 year, $30,000,000 contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including $30,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $30,000,000. In 2026, Vea will earn a base salary of $17,000,000, while carrying a cap hit of $22,194,460’.
But since they’re apparently moving $6 mil up to 2026, it averages out to $24 mil/yr for 2026 & 2027, about what a NT/DT with Vea’s performance levels & impact should probably be paid. We get to keep him in the fold for 2 years, and that buys us the time we need to draft his replacement in 2027. Halleleujah!
August 20th, 2026 at 6:13 am
Win win !
Didn’t like how it all went down but….
August 20th, 2026 at 6:35 am
Listen to the words of every player on offense, defense, newcomers and Bucs mainstays and every single one of them says exactly the same thing. “Baker is the heart and soul of this team.”
The coaches and even the GM say it, as well.
Sorry Baker haters, he ain’t goin’ nowhere. He’s next and heads will explode in JoeBucsFan Land. Can’t wait to see it!
August 20th, 2026 at 6:46 am
This new deal makes Vea one of the highest paid NTs in the NFL for the next 2 seasons…
Good for him and good for the Bucs.
August 20th, 2026 at 6:49 am
I guess the Bucs know that Vea is a NT not a DT or else he would have been paid more $…