Vita Vea Requests Trade From Buccaneers
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- Vita Vea requested a trade from the Buccaneers after contract extension talks stalled, his agent Collin Roberts told ESPN on Monday.
- Vea was a hold-in at mandatory minicamp last month over his contract situation; coach Todd Bowles dismissed the drama as "part of the business."
- The 31-year-old Vea is entering the final year of a four-year, $71 million deal set to pay him $17 million in 2025 — with none of it guaranteed and a per-game roster bonus capped at $1 million.
- Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield, also in the final season of a three-year, $100 million contract and seeking an extension, participated fully at minicamp and said talks were "not anywhere close."
- Vea played all 17 games last season, posting 4.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits and 34 tackles, and has 35 career sacks since Tampa Bay drafted him 12th overall in 2018.
- Veteran players are scheduled to report to Buccaneers training camp Tuesday, setting an immediate deadline for any resolution.
Why it matters: Vea is one of only a handful of true nose tackles in the NFL and earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods as recently as 2024, yet Tampa Bay structured his final-year salary with zero guaranteed money — making a trade request a rational lever rather than a tantrum. With reporting day Tuesday and no guaranteed dollars on his $17M, the Buccaneers face a choice: extend a 31-year-old pillar of their defense, deal him for picks, or play out the season knowing his next contract will land elsewhere.
