Vita Vea has spent years being the kind of defensive tackle offenses have to account for on every snap. Tampa Bay has built one of the league’s best run defenses with him as the centerpiece, and he’s added real pass-rush production along the way. So when ESPN’s latest positional rankings left him outside the top 10 at defensive tackle, it landed as a real surprise.
Jeremy Fowler’s annual survey of executives, coaches and scouts is out, and Vea did not crack the list this time. He wasn’t completely shut out - he showed up as an honorable mention - but the drop is still striking.
A year ago, he was No. 9 and even received a vote as high as No. 2.
That kind of slide is hard to square with what Vea has done in Tampa Bay. Since he became a full-time starter in 2019, the Buccaneers have had the NFL’s No. 1 rush defense.
Over his eight pro seasons, Tampa Bay has finished with a top-five rushing defense six times. Vea has also been a steady threat in the backfield, posting at least four sacks in each of the last five seasons.
The ranking also arrives at a sensitive time for the Buccaneers and their star lineman. Vea is in the middle of a contract dispute after holding in during minicamp, reporting but not taking part without a new deal. He’s scheduled to make $17 million in 2026, which is a strong number on the surface, but it still leaves him 19th among defensive tackles in average annual value.
The honorable mention status suggests the league still sees him in the 11-13 range at the position, and that matters when the next contract is being discussed. There are already 16 defensive tackles making at least $21 million per year, and 10 of them are at $24 million or more. That’s the neighborhood Vea can point to as he pushes for his next deal.
He’s 31, so the price tag isn’t small. But Tampa Bay knows exactly what he means to the defense, and the cleanest path forward looks like a short extension that gives him the raise he wants without locking the team into a long-term commitment.
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