As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prepare for the 2026 season, the franchise is in a weird spot with one of its most beloved players. Veteran defensive tackle Vita Vea, who has played his entire career with the Bucs, has been looking for an extension ahead of the final year of his current contract. Unable to agree to a deal with Tampa Bay, Vea has requested a trade, and hasn’t been participating in training camp.
This has forced Buccaneers fans to consider a reality of the team playing a season without Vea on the roster. Of course, fans don’t want that, and Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht recently tried to convince them they have nothing to worry about.
Speaking with the media on Thursday, Licht flat-out said, “I have no plans of trading Vita.” Ideally, that would be a comforting statement for fans, and put an end to any speculation that the defensive tackle could be moved. Unfortunately, the NFL has shown us that’s far from how things work.
Jason Licht saying he won’t trade Vita Vea means nothing until they agree on an extension
NFL history, and sports history as a whole, is filled with decision makers saying one thing, only to ultimately do the opposite. Ask Cleveland Browns fans, who will watch Myles Garrett contend for a title with the Los Angeles Rams this season, how many times they were told by their general manager that Garrett wasn’t going anywhere.
General manager talk is a lot like coachspeak; they have to say what sounds good to keep panic levels low. It’s fair to assume Licht is being honest, and he probably doesn’t want to trade the veteran defender, however, no one really knows how things will unfold.
If Vea is dug in on his stance, and the Buccaneers don’t make the kind of offer he’s looking for, it may eventually make the most sense for for Tampa Bay to just part ways with the defensive tackle. Situations like that unfold in the NFL all the time, and it’s no guarantee Vea and the Bucs won’t join that long list.
The hope is that it doesn’t come to that. If Licht and the Buccaneers can agree with Vea on a new deal, the defensive tackle will be back on the field in Tampa Bay, and everyone will be happy.
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