Jason Licht isn’t pretending the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can keep everybody, and his latest comments only add to the uncertainty around Vita Vea’s future.
The Bucs general manager is already dealing with a brutal offseason. Mike Evans, his first-ever draft pick, left in free agency after 12 seasons.
Lavonte David also announced his retirement after 14 seasons, stripping Tampa Bay of two of the most important players in franchise history. On top of that, the team couldn’t get a contract extension done with Baker Mayfield, a situation that has already made national headlines.
Now Vea has asked for a trade while looking for a new deal of his own.
Licht addressed the bigger picture during an appearance on the “Inside Football” podcast with former Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, and he made clear how hard it is to hold a roster together once a team starts drafting well.
"The negative side of having some great drafts is you can't pay everybody. But you have to look at the big picture when you’re making every decision is how is it going to affect what you’re going to do in the future...
Keeping the gang together is probably my biggest stressor… In an ideal world, you'd want every player that you hit on, especially that you draft where they start their career here, to end their career here. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way"
When Keim asked specifically about Vea’s situation and how tense negotiations can affect the relationship between a player and general manager, Licht kept his answer measured.
“You try to just be up front, maintain the relationship as best you can. Sometimes it's a little challenging," said Licht.
Even with that diplomatic tone, the outlook doesn’t sound especially encouraging for a long-term deal. Vea is on the wrong side of 30, and Tampa Bay already has a long list of young core players set to hit free agency next offseason.
A raise in 2026, the final year of his current contract, still looks possible. Keeping him in Tampa Bay into 2027 and beyond, though, would be a much tougher ask.
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