Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht is navigating what might be the most difficult offseason of his career.
Mike Evans, his first-ever draft pick, departed in free agency after 12 seasons with the team. Lavonte David announced his retirement after 14 seasons, leaving Tampa Bay without two of the most important players in franchise history.
The Buccaneers were unable to reach a contract extension with quarterback Baker Mayfield, which has dominated national headlines. Meanwhile, star defensive tackle Vita Vea requested a trade as he seeks a new deal of his own.
This offseason has provided plenty of storylines for Licht to address. During an appearance on the “Inside Football” podcast with former Arizona Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim, Licht discussed Vea’s situation, and didn’t sound particularly optimistic about a long-term solution.
Jason Licht explains why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can’t keep everyone
Keim spoke to Licht about the struggle of keeping a team’s core together while balancing a win-now philosophy with the franchise’s long-term future.
"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"Jason Licht, Inside Football Podcast
Vea’s ongoing contract situation was specifically brought up, and Licht was asked how tense negotiations like this can affect the relationship between a player and general manager.
“You try to just be up front, maintain the relationship as best you can. Sometimes it's a little challenging," said Licht.
Reading between the lines, Licht’s comments paint a difficult picture for Vea’s long-term future in Tampa Bay.
With a laundry list of young core players set to enter free agency next offseason and Vea on the wrong side of 30, it’s becoming hard to imagine that any sort of long-term extension will get done. The Buccaneers could definitely still find common ground by giving Vea a well-deserved raise as he enters the final year of his contract in 2026, but keeping him in Tampa Bay for 2027 and beyond will be a tall mountain to climb.
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