Two-time Pro Bowler Vita Vea was a hold-in at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ mandatory minicamp last month due to an ongoing contract standoff with the franchise. After contract talks between the parties stalled, the defensive tackle requested a trade from the Bucs on Monday.
Sean McVay Addresses Vita Vea’s Trade Request
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay found out about Vea’s situation during an appearance on the “Up & Adams Show” on Monday and addressed possible links to the defensive tackle.
“He’s a stud,” McVay said. “I think that he’s a great player, always been a problem to game plan against. But I think we feel good about our group right now… He requested a trade, huh?”
Shortly after the news broke, The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen revealed that Vea has preferred destinations in the NFL.
“From a source: he wants to go to a California team or the Raiders,” Nguyen wrote.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Vea is set to earn $17 million this season and is entering the final year of a four-year, $71 million contract with the Bucs. In addition, the defensive tackle will earn a per-game roster bonus capped at $1 million.
After winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year during his college football career with the Washington Huskies, Vea was selected No. 12 overall in the 2018 NFL draft by the Bucs. He quickly established himself as one of the most promising defensive prospects in the NFL and was a key cog in the Bucs team that won Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The former Huskies standout was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2021 as an alternate defensive tackle to Los Angeles Rams icon Aaron Donald.
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
Last season, Vea earned a PFN Defensive Tackle Impact score of 78.6 after tallying 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and eight quarterback hits in 17 games played for the Bucs.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo compared Vea’s salary with the top-earning defensive tackles in the NFL and detailed his situation in Tampa.
“The top of the market now is into the 30s. Jeffery Simmons with the Titans got a three-year, $105 million deal back in June,” Garafolo said. “Back in June is when Vea was trying to get a deal done with the Buccaneers. He didn’t participate in the spring program.
“He was there at minicamp, but they allowed him to sit out. My understanding is he is going to be with the team at training camp. The question is, does he participate, and does the team allow him because some teams are willing to say, “Okay. You can hold in.”
Vea has played in 112 games for the Bucs, tallying 256 tackles, 48 tackles for loss, 35 sacks, and 79 quarterback hits.
