Vita Vea has long been the anchor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense.
Since Vea became a full-time starter in 2019, the Bucs have boasted the No. 1 rush defense in the NFL. Tampa Bay has finished with a top five rushing defense in six of Vea’s eight pro seasons.
In addition to his run-stuffing prowess, he’s also effective as a pass rusher, recording at least four sacks in each of the past five seasons.
He’s undoubtedly one of the most impactful defensive tackles in the NFL, but the league inexplicably doesn’t view him as a top 10 player at the position anymore.
Vita Vea snubbed from ESPN’s top 10 defensive tackle list
Each year, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler surveys execs, coaches, and scouts around the league to rank the top 10 players at every position.
The defensive tackle rankings have just been released, and Vita Vea didn’t make the cut. To soften the blow, Vea was listed as an honorable mention, so he did get some votes. But his fall out of the top 10 is hard to comprehend.
#Bucs Vita Vea is a surprising snub from the NFL exec’s Top 10 DT list.
— Josh Crysler (@josh_crysler) July 9, 2026
Last year, he made the list at No. 9 and even had a vote as high as No. 2.
Vita did earn a spot on the Honorable Mentions list, so he wasn’t completely forgotten by the voters. https://t.co/hEKtFh4OhJ pic.twitter.com/70AzHhzFZJ
On last year’s list, Vea ranked at No. 9, and he even earned a vote as high as No. 2. Now just a year later, he’s off the list completely.
Will Vita Vea’s snub impact his ongoing contract negotiations with Buccaneers?
Vea is in the midst of contract dispute after he held in during mini camp, showing up but opting not to play without a new deal.
He’s set to earn $17 million in 2026, and while that’s a hefty payday, he’s only the 19th highest-paid defensive tackle in AAV.
Despite not making the top 10 on ESPN’s position rankings, his placing as an honorable mention means he’s viewed around the league at somewhere in the 11-13 range at his position.
That could set him up for a significant pay raise, as there are currently 16 defensive tackles making at least $21 million annually, with ten of them earning at least $24 million.
That is the likely blueprint for Vea’s next deal, with an asking price likely falling in that $21-24 million range.
It’s a substantial asking price for a 31-year-old defensive tackle, but Vea has been elite for Tampa Bay, and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down just yet. Their defense wouldn’t be the same without him, they know it.
The best move for the Bucs is to reward Vea with his well-deserved raise on a responsible one-or-two-year extension that satisfies him without tying the team to a long-term commitment at an age he could decline quickly.
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