On the eve of training camp, superstar Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle requested a trade. It was a bombshell development that seemingly came out of nowhere.
But those who have been keeping tabs on the situation know that this moment was far from unexpected. Vea's extension talks were always going to come to a head this offseason. As insider Jeremy Fowler reported on NFL Network, Tampa Bay wasn't working too hard to get a deal done.
Fowler said, "The Bucs have a pension for not paying their stars until they get to the final year of their deal or the franchise tag. Vea feels like his deal has been outdated for a long time. He's let them know. As a result, contract talks went nowhere. So, whereas the Bucs really tried with [Baker] Mayfield, it seems like they really didn't try to re-sign their star defensive tackle."
Buccaneers' Vita Vea trade request was inevitable
Fowler also mentioned that there has been significant outside interest in a trade for the veteran defender. He said, "His trade interest is pretty heavy. He's got several calls into the Bucs. I'm told the Bucs do not plan to trade Vita Vea. He's a big part of what they do, still."
All signs point to the Buccaneers allowing the 31-year old defender to play out the final year of his current contract before reassessing the situation. He is currently significantly underpaid relative to the other top defensive tackles in the NFL, not even reaching the top 15 at the position in terms of average annual value.
Vea currently makes $17.75 million per year. When he does get a new deal, whether it comes from the Bucs or not, it will likely be closer to $25 million per year, in line with contracts for other top defensive tackles like Alim McNeill and Derrick Brown.
As training camp gets going, the veteran defender is sitting out due to an apparent muscle tweak.
It's hard to blame Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht for playing the long game here. Tampa Bay is entering a pivotal year. If they fail to make the playoffs again, there's a chance that they move on from both Todd Bowles and Mayfield. In that case, Vea wouldn't align with the new timeline of the franchise.
But the frustrating nature of Vea's contract situation isn't an accident. The Buccaneers didn't stumble into this spot due to a lack of foresight. Trade requests like this are a natural risk of letting contracts play out in the way that the Bucs have done with Vea.
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