Jason Licht Talks Vita Vea Contract Extension
August 23rd, 2026
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht was talking about extending the contract of Vita Vea — and this time he didn’t reference his stellar draft record of recent years.
Licht took gentle shots last week from NBC Sports super insider Mike Florio for his four-sentence written statement on extending Vea’s contract.
Why? Because Licht’s third sentence went as follows: “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.”
Florio poked at Licht for patting himself on the back in writing.
Last night, Licht was asked by Buccaneers Radio Network play-by-play man Tony Castricone about Vea “being officially back with the team.” And Castricone asked, “how big of an addition is that for Coach Bowles” and what he’s building with the defense?
Rightfully so, Licht disagreed with Castricone’s premise.
“Well he was on our team; he never left,” Licht replied.
But Licht continued and explained what Vea’s giant raise for 2026 and new 2027 contract means.
“We’re obviously jacked to get this done and to reach some common ground and get him extended,” Licht said. “Everybody knows what he means to our defense. He’s just such a unique player that affects the game in ways that don’t always show up in the stat sheet, although he is a pretty productive player, too. He just makes the guys around him better. He’s obviously a big part of our locker room, too.”
While the Bucs had three first-round draft picks along their defensive front last year, Haason Reddick was about as worthless as last night’s preseason game and Calijah Kancey was healthy for only three games.
This year, the Bucs have Vea, Kancey and Miami Mauler rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain. Those are three first-round picks. If those guys simply stay healthy, the Joe typing here sees massive improvement ahead for the Bucs defense.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:04 pm
Yes !
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Joe … ‘If those guys (Vea, Kancey & Bain) simply stay healthy, the Joe typing here sees massive improvement ahead for the Bucs defense.’
Oh yes, there’s that perfect Bottom Line again. Now if we can just get you to define MASSIVE Joe.
There’s been a lot of JBF articles this off-season about ‘Kit-Kat-eating Todd Bowles’ and how he’s at fault for everything bad that’s happened on our defense (and probably for climate change, the war in Iran & heaven only knows what else).
Vita Vea took umbrage with that the other day when he said that he wanted to set the record straight on Todd Bowles …
“I feel like none of it is Bowles fault; I feel like we all love Bowles, the players in the locker room. So thatās one thing I want to set the record straight at; we all love Bowles. Itās not what heās doing. You know, heās telling us what to do, giving us all the answers to the test and itās on us players to be able to go out there and excecute what heās telling us to do. Heās always putting is in the best position to play.”
That was totally unsolicited. Vea didn’t have to say anything about Todd Bowles, and yet he staunchly defended him. And never said 1 word about Kit Kats. Hmmm.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:24 pm
While I’m in favor of extending VV…..i could also see the benefit of trading an older player when he still has value…..saving the $$ for other needs and picking up an extra high draft pick.
The bottom line will be how well VV performs…..we have a pretty stout front 7 with him there.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Florio is the TMZ of sports journalism these days….
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:39 pm
jason has a bruised ego from this episode, obviously. the bossman came in and made him look like a weak bad cop. not a good look for the guy all about hyping how great things look because of his unmatched excellence.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I would be willing to take back some of the bad things Iāve said about Licht if he could help orchestrate the reduction of preseason games to 2 so we can hear RondĆ© one less time per offseason.
What an absolute disgrace of an announcing job. Missed things. Bragged on himself way too much. Jokes that were not even mildly amusing. Mumbling. Just embarrassing.
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:43 pm
At this rate, Joe should meet his daily āworthless preseasonā quota trope by supper time, even getting it in with consecutive articles todayā¦.
Joe probably waking up from nightmares screaming āworthless preseason gamesā¦..ahhhhā at this juncture š
Well, if anything, itās worth writing about at the very least apparently!
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:47 pm
āHeās just such a unique player that affects the game in ways that donāt always show up in the stat sheet, although he is a pretty productive player, too. He just makes the guys around him better. Heās obviously a big part of our locker room, too.ā
Yup, the truest thing that Licht couldāve said and emphasis on making guys around him better, because that is what Vita does. Sacks, snap counts, age and all that other stuff guys posted about throughout this stand off was irrelevant.
If Iāve got a guy on an odd or even front that can occupy 2 people giving us a 10 to 9 numbers advantage. Itās less traffic for the ILBs to navigate, clear lanes for purist from everybody that doesnāt have their hands in the grass hole increasing the amount of 1 on 1 matchups the guys in the trenches have. Thereās NO WAY Iām not trying to keep him on my team.
Like the Knicks said wit Mikal Bridges eff them draft picks. Some of yāall were lowballing talking about a 2nd rounder and thinking somebody would give us a viable CB along with that, maaaaaan
August 23rd, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Modhair you sound like an insufferable person. Itās preseason. Grades donāt count right now. It was a fun night, a good showing by the players and I thought Gruden brought the energy and juice weāve come to expect from him. Go be miserable somewhere else.
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:16 pm
The only “worth” (value) there is in preseason games is for NFL owners’ revenue and for orthopedic surgeons.
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:21 pm
āThe only āworthā (value) there is in preseason games is for NFL ownersā revenue and for orthopedic surgeonsā
Riiiiiight
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:33 pm
I’d LOVE to hear what Vita would say off the record about last year. He simply CAN’T say “we had a bunch of people on the field who had no business being there”
August 23rd, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Ronde and Gruden did an alright job but had a few head scratching moments – like in victory formation when Gruden said Reid wasnāt going to use his timeouts. Of which he had none of.
August 23rd, 2026 at 6:08 pm
74 Bucs …
Agree. Also, one of the Joe’s (or perhaps an intern) typed yesterday that the game seems to have passed Gruden by, coaching-wise. I wouldn’t go that far. Gruden was and still is excellent at certain things, most notably being razor sharp at in-game management of the offense. True, he is not well suited for other responsibilities (drafting players and managing conflict, for instance). But there is still a level of coaching prowess he could thrive at, if he wanted to. Now, as for calling games, that guy is MONEY. I’m kind of upset we won’t get to hear him call more games, anytime soon at least.
August 23rd, 2026 at 6:10 pm
Modhairken is out of hairspray.. He gets very cranky and mad at the world.
August 23rd, 2026 at 6:28 pm
2 color guys and no one really did the play by play except Ronde on a few plays.
August 23rd, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Maybe depending on how this year goes heāll have another under contract and if we crap the bed we trade him next year
August 23rd, 2026 at 7:22 pm
āWell he was on our team; he never left,ā Licht replied.
———
When I listened to the radio broadcast during week 1, I thought Tony did OK. He’s very generic sounding, but certainly it could be much worse. However Tony really didn’t seem to have a great grasp on the players and their importance when talking about them. He’ll get there over time, but man, that’s quite the backhand from Licht.
August 23rd, 2026 at 7:31 pm
VV never left. He clowned Licht & Co. by standing in the sidelines until he was guaranteed 30 million for a two year farewell tour. Weāll see where his motivation & durability are moving forward.
August 23rd, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Its time to lock up Chase.and Baker. Clutch consistent kickers are game winners. And lets talk Baker….people say he hasn’t been to a conference championship game. Well, look at the teams his been with. Pretty tall task for anybody. Secondly, nobody was saying anything early last year when he won games with his effort and grit. His fall off was from obviously playing injured. The guy is a dawg. He leaves it all on the field and won’t back down from anybody. He’s worth keeping around
August 23rd, 2026 at 8:59 pm
Slacker Says:
August 23rd, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Its time to lock up Chase.and Baker. Clutch consistent kickers are game winners. And lets talk Bakerā¦.people say he hasnāt been to a conference championship game. Well, look at the teams his been with..
——-
Well he plays for the Buccaneers, not another team, so we judge him by what he’s done while here. And what he has done is the following…
2-11 in primetime and playoff games. Lost 4 in a row last year, all vs losing teams, with the playoffs on the line. In fact his play was so bad, he got the entire offensive staff fired.
The idea you reward that kind of play by making him the 3rd highest paid player in football is pretty ridiculous – in particular when he’s already under contract and you can just wait and see what he does this year.
August 23rd, 2026 at 10:37 pm
Moving on to the next order of GM business- The Cowboys, Broncos, Bears or Vikings could all be teams willing to deal the Bucs something for Sean Tucker. Iād love to keep him a Buc but he deserves a chance to shine. Iād rather see him developing his craft in tandem with Aaron Jones or JK Dobbins instead of warming the bench in Tampa. He could show up next week in Dallas after a trade and emerge as lead dog in an offense that lacks a reliable 3 down feature back in one of the leagueās strongest and most player-friendly markets.
His talent is a luxury as KR/RB 3/4. Pass pro remains his issue methinks but that offensive player of the week talent deserves a stage and teams need three dimensional RBs more than they have in years. Iād like to see him go to Denver and add a dangerous dimension to an AFC powerhouse far out of range of wrecking the Bucs playoff tie breakers.
August 23rd, 2026 at 10:58 pm
Yep, Jason isnāt allowed to use we and our in statements. So glad self-important experts like Mike are out there to catch such self-aggrandizing statements. Pot calling kettle.
August 24th, 2026 at 12:03 am
HopeIn1Hand…how often does Licht trade players?
August 24th, 2026 at 2:04 am
Buc1987-
Licht has not been an aggressive horse trader at any point by any stretch but if he had grown to make the right move for OL and/or ILB last year things may have been different in the finishing of the season. Weād be spared these off-season discourses.
Iām not saying put everyone on the block to the highest bidder. Iām saying āslide Bakerā to Licht. Do what you have not yet done. I donāt expect anyone to listen but it would be be prudent to move him to a RB hungry team.
Tucker was a UDFA and has out-performed his non-existent draft stock how many times over? Last yearās UDFA can pick up a blitz, catch passes and follow his blockers like a vet. That is enough for a #3. Give the Bucs a bit of now very precious cap space, get a pick in 2027 and give the kid a chance to shine.
He could go to Minnesota and be the second coming of Robert Smith and take that team places. That roster won 9 games with JJ McCarthy at QB. I think Kyler Murray with an Aaron Jones/Sean Tucker/Demond Claiborne RB attack would be something to see. Two young talents learning from one of the best to ever do it.
August 24th, 2026 at 4:02 am
Florio having the stones to call out someone elseās āegoā is downright laughable. The guy is a walking statue of self aggrandizement.
August 24th, 2026 at 4:40 am
This article wasn’t about Baker, well it’s all about Baker. With that said, even a big time Baker fan. I myself am starting to have a had time defending him to my friends. Look at the numbers in game that matter? (2 win and 11 losses). I will be a fan of his I am looking at him to prove to Tampa that he’s worth the money.
August 24th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Do you recall the knock on Vea in the draft?
Short arms.
Licht has a thing for short armed people. The OL puts the good cereal on the top shelf so the DL can’t get it.
August 25th, 2026 at 5:39 am
A few extra bucks in your pocket always helps