The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have spent much of their offseason juggling contract questions, and Vita Vea has become the latest big name waiting for a resolution.
Baker Mayfield has already been making headlines because of his own stalled negotiations, and Vea has now joined him in that group. The defensive tackle wants a new deal before a contract year, but unlike Mayfield, he has chosen to hold in and stayed out of OTAs and minicamp without an extension in place.
With training camp next up, the latest word out of the NFL doesn’t exactly point toward a breakthrough. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Tampa Bay is not close on a new deal with Vea, and the team doesn’t sound eager to rush the process with either of its major extension cases.
“When it comes to Baker Mayfield or even Vita Vea on the other side of the ball… the Bucs are in no rush on either one of these.”
That leaves Vea in a familiar but uncomfortable spot as camp approaches. He could continue sitting out until something changes, he could eventually rejoin Mayfield on the practice field while talks continue, or the situation could take a sharper turn if he decides to push for a trade.
From Tampa Bay’s side, the hesitation is easier to understand than the frustration it creates. Vea is set to make $17 million in 2026, but that number doesn’t match his value to the defense. He ranks 19th among NFL defensive tackles in pay, while 10 players at the position are making at least $24 million.
At age 31, Vea is looking at what could be the last major extension of his career, and the case for a raise is obvious. He has been the center of Tampa Bay’s run defense for years, and the numbers back that up. Since he became a full-time starter in 2019, the Buccaneers have had the NFL’s No. 1 rushing defense, and they’ve finished in the top five in six of his eight pro seasons.
That kind of impact gives Vea plenty of leverage, even if the Bucs aren’t showing much urgency right now.
The bigger picture for Tampa Bay is messy. Mayfield and Vea are both seeking big-money deals, and Cody Mauch and Yaya Diaby are also set to hit free agency next offseason. The front office is going to have to sort through those priorities carefully over the next few weeks, because it likely won’t be able to pay everyone.
For now, Vea is hoping he lands near the top of that list and that the sides can get something done before the 2026 season begins.
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Instead, Irving was left on the outside of the conversation entirely, not even landing in the honorable-mention tier as other backs such as Breece Hall, Quinshon Judkins, Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara drew support. For a player who flashed like a future centerpiece in Tampa Bay, the omission is the kind of slight that tends to linger, especially when the Buccaneers are still trying to figure out just how high Irvings ceiling can be once hes healthy again. [Read more 🡒]