RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has formally requested a trade, according to his agent. Vea stayed away from the team during the voluntary portion of the offseason and though he has reported to training camp, the two-time Pro Bowl DT is unhappy with his current contract and wants an extension.
The Buccaneers, after adding a slew of defensive talent this offseason, might not be interested in moving Vea. But they’re also embroiled in a contract standoff with QB Baker Mayfield and currently stand with just more than $8 million in salary-cap space.
What will the Bucs do? Is there a market for Vea’s services? Let’s break it down.
Vita Vea’s contract situation
Vea signed a four-year contract extension in 2022 worth $71 million, with more than $40 million of it guaranteed. He’s now due to hit free agency next spring, hence Vea’s desire to land another extension.
His current deal ranks 19th in salary among defensive tackles, making roughly half per annum of what the Titans’ Jeffery Simmons, the NFL’s highest-paid tackle, will earn. The Chiefs’ Chris Jones is one of four players ahead of Vea on that list who is older than Vea is, along with the Colts’ DeForest Buckner, the Seahawks’ Leonard Williams and the Steelers’ Cameron Heyward.
For context, the 37-year-old Heyward signed a one-year extension worth $18 million this offseason, giving him a $2 million raise for 2026 and guaranteeing his existing 2026 salary fully. That’s the contract any team wanting to trade for Vea would inherit.
There was also a notable DT trade, which has some relevance to Vea’s situation, that helped reshape the market this offseason. The Giants traded 29-year-old Dexter Lawrence for a first-round pick, and the Bengals signed Lawrence to a one-year extension beyond his existing deal. Lawrence now sits third at the position, at $28 million per year.
Vea might not command that level of money because of his age. But his consistent production and good durability (seven missed games over his past five seasons) suggest that Vea can remain near the top of his game for more years, even at nearly 350 pounds. He’s nearly as good a double-team splitter as there is in the game, and Vea has averaged 5.5 sacks the past five seasons – well above the norm for a typical nose tackle.
Buckner ($23 million average-per-year salary) and Williams ($21.5M APY) appear to be reasonable contract comps, based on age, injury and production.
Vita Vea’s reported trade preference
According to The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen, Vea’s preference would be to play for one of four teams: the Rams, Chargers, 49ers or Raiders. On the surface, it appears to be a geographical preference, but Vea actually would make sense in some of those spots.
The Rams don’t feel like an immediate and obvious fit, especially as rumors of Aaron Donald possibly returning are bubbling up. That certainly could change, but from a style perspective, Vea might not be the best fit there.
What about the Chargers? The DT ranks were slightly thinned this offseason, and Vea could pair nicely with Teair Tart, even if the Chargers signed vet Dalvin Tomlinson and drafted sixth-rounder Nick Barnett. Jim Harbaugh has always prioritized stopping the run, and Vea would be an excellent addition.
The Niners make sense because they probably still need defensive reinforcements, they have the cap space to make it work and they’re probably the third-best team in their own division, even after making the playoffs a year ago. It would also be a nice homecoming for Vea, who grew up in the Bay Area, but there are legitimate questions of whether Vea is a great scheme fit or meshes with their semi-youth movement up front.
You might not assume the Raiders make sense in what looks like a rebuilding year, but football-wise, Vea would be a major upgrade over Adam Butler. The Raiders absolutely can make the trade move financially speaking, and consummating a deal would be a sign that the team believes it is better than what the outside perspective might have you believe. Vea also would be a massive addition for Maxx Crosby, whom the Raiders say they now firmly support.
One hangup in any potential trade: Teams were reluctant to deal 2027 draft picks this spring, and they likely remain so with the belief that the upcoming draft could be a real bounty, and not just at quarterback. The Patriots, for instance, dug in and refused to give the Eagles a high 2027 selection for A.J. Brown, eventually shipping a 2028 first-round pick in that deal.
Other possible landing spots for Vita Vea
If Vea is not hung up on location, there might be other teams who want him – perhaps even more so than some of the teams on his reported preference list.
The Bills are a fascinating possibility. The finances would be tough given how cap-tight Buffalo is, but Vea, Deone Walker and Ed Oliver would make an intimidating trio. They were gashed against the run at times last season, allowing 5.1 yards per carry and 24 rushing TDs, tied for the most in the NFL. Vea would help fix that immediately.
The Giants traded Lawrence this offseason, leaving a potentially scary hole up front. They patched it with veterans D.J. Reader and Leki Fotu, but that shouldn’t preclude them from adding Vea if the price was right. That D-line would be downright scary with another big addition who can occupy blocks and close down run lanes. Keeping first-round LB Arvell Reese clean would help speed up his development.
The Bears made a few minor additions to the defensive line, but not enough to make an obvious difference. Vea likely would be an upgrade over Grady Jarrett, especially against the run, after his disappointing first season in Chicago. The Bears also don’t yet know what they have in some recent DT draft picks, and Vea is the kind of player who could elevate the entire unit.
Other teams, including the Packers, are in need of more DT help, but the question comes down to need and finances. There’s also the entirely likely p...
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