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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Two-time Pro Bowler Vita Vea shocked the league when it was reported that he'd requested a trade after contract negotiations broke down with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Vea is entering the final year of his current deal and still doesn't have an extension in place beyond the 2026 NFL season, despite being widely considered one of the best defensive tackles in football and a key member of the Bucs' Super Bowl-winning team in 2021.
Since requesting the trade, he's been linked to several teams around the league, with reported interest in going to a West Coast squad such as the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers. Vea, a California native, played his college ball at Washington.
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As rumors continue to swirl, Vea's agent, Collin Roberts, told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that he "doesn't see it ending in anything but a trade at this point." But on Thursday, Buccaneers GM Jason Licht pushed back on that sentiment, telling reporters, "I have no plans on trading Vita."
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Tampa Bay is entering unusual territory. After being considered one of the most well-run franchises in the league for years, the Bucs now find themselves with two of their biggest pillars — Vea and Baker Mayfield — at a contract impasse. Mayfield had also pushed for an extension all offseason, and he'll now enter a contract year without a new deal in hand.
The Bucs can't afford to let both players walk at season's end, and Vea has made clear he wants to be playing elsewhere by the time the 2026 season kicks off. Tampa Bay doesn't necessarily have to do anything — they could let the season play out and revisit the situation once the year is over. But with both players unhappy, the team risks other key veterans souring on the front office as well, not to mention the possibility of losing Vea for nothing in return once his contract expires.
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