The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were handed quite the Monday bombshell, as defensive tackle Vita Vea requested a trade after nearly a decade of service following a snag in negotiations.
Not only does Vea reportedly want out after contract talks broke down, but he has given the Bucs strict parameters in trade talks. Vea, who was born near Santa Clara and went to high school near San Jose, wants to be traded to either a team in California or the Las Vegas Raiders.
These three teams may not be in California, but they can give the Buccaneers a haul of picks, need a defensive tackle like Vea, and can satisfy his desire to compete for a championship if he leaves Tampa Bay.
3 non-California teams who could trade for Buccaneers DT Vita Vea
3. Chicago Bears
The Bears surprised many by not choosing to add a defensive tackle until the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. This leaves an already suspect run defense with Gervon Dexter, the aging Grady Jarrett, and anonymous sophomore Shemar Turner as impact players.
The Bears might be more willing to go all-in before Caleb Williams' eventual extension hits their salary cap, and adding Vea can have the same impact Montez Sweat did to their pass rush room years ago.
2. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have added to their defensive line with players like TJ Sanders and Deone Walker in the NFL Draft over the last few years, but none of them could provide the immediate run-stuffing spice that Vea provides.
With Buffalo pivoting to an offensive-minded head coach in Joe Brady who may not be as hands-on with the defense as Sean McDermott was, would it be the worst idea in the world to give Brady as idiot-proof a defense as possible by sending picks and players over to Tampa Bay?
1. Detroit Lions
The Lions not only have a need at defensive tackle and an aggressive front office that could be willing to bring in a player like Vea, but they have a connection to him. Kacy Rodgers, a longtime Bucs assistant who helped coach Vea on the defensive line, has since moved on to Detroit.
Vea would be the best defensive lineman next to Aidan Hutchinson the Lions have had in the last few years, and the pairing of him and Alim McNeil on the interior would be disruptive enough by itself to give Detroit a defense that will scare everyone.
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