Vita Vea has been with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for eight seasons. But on the eve of his ninth training camp with the team, why is the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle requesting a trade?
Online rumors were quick to point the finger at Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, but a team insider was quick to dispel that narrative.
Vita Vea Not Upset At Bucs HC Bowles
The 31-year-old is heading into the final year of his contract with the Buccaneers, but is set to have a robust cap hit of $22.2 million in 2026. Typically, when stars are heading into a contract year, they’re looking to secure a long-term extension. After all, that’s what Baker Mayfield has been angling for, but Bucs general manager Jason Licht has yet to strike a deal.
That’s the same story here with Vea. Only, rather than try to negotiate, he wants a trade. But is it because of coaching?
According to The Athletic‘s Buccaneers insider Greg Auman, Vea doesn’t have an issue with Bowles. The man simply wants to get paid.
“Vea isn’t upset about Bowles,” Auman reported. “He just wants to get paid beyond this season. Bucs often restructure high-dollar contracts to create short-term cap space, but they really haven’t done that with Vea.
“If he were to get traded, the total dead cap is only $6.5 million, and $2.2 million of that is inevitable from using a void year. I don’t see them trading him, but it’s much cleaner to do so than most of their core players. Trade Mayfield today, by comparison, and the dead cap is $59 million. (They’re not trading him).”
Vea isn’t upset about Bowles. He just wants to get paid beyond this season.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) July 28, 2026
While Auman has no doubts about Vea’s intentions, he also pointed out that the Bucs often restructure contracts like his. But for whatever reason, the front office hasn’t done that this time with Vea.
Bucs often restructure high-dollar contracts to create short-term cap space, but they really haven’t done that with Vea. If he were to get traded, the total dead cap is only $6.5 million, and $2.2 million of that is inevitable from using a void year. I don’t see them trading him,…
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) July 28, 2026
While Auman insists that the Buccaneers are not trading arguably their best defender, teams will surely come calling. All it takes is one offer that’s too good to refuse, and suddenly Vea has a new home, likely with a new contract too.
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Whether Vea would prefer to get paid elsewhere or in Tampa Bay remains to be seen. But if the Buccaneers aren’t willing to pony up more cash, he may feel he has no choice but to look elsewhere.
The Buccaneers made Vea the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While they added fellow defensive tackle Calijah Kancey with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Vea’s departure would be a significant one for a Bucs defense that ranked 20th in points allowed a season ago.
Vea’s 2025-26 campaign saw him rank 25th of PFN’s DT Impact Rankings.
