Vita Vea trade request hits Buccaneers before training camp
Vita Vea has asked the Buccaneers for a trade after extension talks failed to produce a new contract, his agent told NFL Network.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Vita Vea’s trade request has landed in Tampa Bay just as the Buccaneers are about to open training camp, with the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle seeking a move after contract extension talks did not produce a deal.
Vea’s agent told NFL Network that the defensive tackle has asked the Buccaneers to trade him. CBS Sports reported that the request follows his attempt to secure a new contract with the only NFL team he has played for.
The Buccaneers selected Vea with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent his entire career in Tampa Bay, becoming one of the league’s most recognizable interior defenders and a central piece of the Buccaneers’ front.
Why did Vita Vea request a trade?
According to NFL Network and CBS Sports, Vea asked to be moved after he and the Buccaneers did not reach agreement on a contract extension. CBS Sports reported that training camp opens Tuesday, leaving the contract standoff sitting right on the doorstep of the team’s preseason work.
The situation had already bubbled up during mandatory minicamp in June, when CBS Sports reported that Vea held in while looking for a new deal. In NFL contract disputes, a hold-in generally means a player is present with the team but does not fully participate while the sides discuss his contract.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles addressed the matter at the time, saying, according to Pewter Report, that it was “not concerning” and “part of the business.” Bowles did not say then whether he expected a deal to be finished before training camp, according to CBS Sports.
No agreement followed, and now the Buccaneers face a far sharper question: whether to keep one of their top defensive players through a contract dispute or consider trade offers for him.
What is Vita Vea’s contract situation?
CBS Sports reported that Vea is due to make $18 million this season in the last year of the four-year contract he signed in 2022. Over The Cap lists his deal at a $17.5 million average annual value, ranking 19th among NFL interior defensive linemen, according to CBS Sports.
That number is central to the dispute. CBS Sports noted that Vea has delivered above that slot across his first eight NFL seasons, including two Pro Bowl selections and steady production as both a run defender and pass rusher.
Any team trading for Vea would likely have to weigh more than the draft-pick cost. CBS Sports reported that a club acquiring him would presumably need to be open to a longer-term contract, given the risk of sending assets for a player seeking a new deal.
What would the Buccaneers lose if Vea leaves?
Vea is listed at 6-foot-4 and 347 pounds, and CBS Sports described him as a powerful interior presence who can clog the run game while also affecting the quarterback. He has 35 career sacks.
Last season, Vea played all 17 games for Tampa Bay. CBS Sports reported that he finished with 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, production the outlet described as close to his usual career pace.
A trade would leave a major hole in the middle of the Buccaneers’ defense. CBS Sports reported that losing Vea would be a serious hit to the defensive front as Tampa Bay tries to get back into playoff contention under Bowles.
For now, the Buccaneers have a franchise fixture asking out, a contract issue still unresolved and training camp arriving fast.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.