The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made their position on Vita Vea clear. They do not want to trade him, but that has not stopped other teams from checking whether the answer might eventually change.
NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo said the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers are among the teams that have called Tampa Bay about Vea. The Buffalo Bills have also checked in, giving the Buccaneers no shortage of suitors if their stance softens.
Mike Garafolo Says Vita Vea Is Upset With Buccaneers
Garafolo explained that Vea will not play in Tampa Bay’s preseason opener and tied his absence directly to frustration over his contract situation.
“He hasn’t been practicing because he is upset with the fact that he’s entering the final year of his deal,” Garafolo said. “Set to make around $18 million this upcoming season with the top of the defensive tackle market now at $38 million.”
Vea is due a $17 million base salary in 2026 and can earn another $1 million through per-game roster bonuses. His current deal averages $17.75 million annually, while Jalen Carter recently reset the position with a contract averaging $38 million per season.
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Garafolo also pointed to Vea’s appearance at a joint practice this week. The veteran had his jersey tucked into the back of his pants rather than wearing the team logo normally, something Garafolo said can be a sign of a player holding in.
“So it’s clear Vea is upset,” Garafolo said.
From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: Teams have checked on Vita Vea’s availability (the #Bills, #Bears and #49ers among them) but the #Buccaneers remain steadfast they’re not trading him and have kept the lines of communication open on a potential new deal. pic.twitter.com/V4tdIQt2Xy
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 14, 2026
The contract frustration has already produced a trade request, but Tampa Bay has not budged. General manager Jason Licht said earlier this month that he has no plans to move Vea and that the club remains in communication with his agent.
Bears and 49ers Join Vita Vea Trade Chase
Garafolo said those conversations have not produced an agreement.
“My understanding is there has been communication between the sides,” he said. “A deal is not imminent. Teams have called the Buccaneers to see if they’re interested in trading him.”
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Garafolo then identified Buffalo, Chicago, and San Francisco among the interested clubs before adding that there are other teams involved as well.
“But the Buccaneers continue to say internally they are not trading Vea,” Garafolo added.
The interest is understandable. Vea started all 17 games last season and recorded 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 13 quarterback hits. He also posted a 78.6 PFN DT Impact score, which ranked 25th among qualifying defensive tackles.
Chicago and San Francisco would be especially interesting destinations because both are NFC competitors. Trading Vea to either club could strengthen a team Tampa Bay may eventually have to deal with in the conference playoff race.
For now, the Buccaneers are holding the line while Vea is holding in. The calls keep coming anyway, and with a $38 million ceiling now hanging over the defensive tackle market, this contract dispute has become much harder to ignore.
