The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offseason has been characterized by key players seeking contract extensions.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has been dominating headlines due to his ongoing contract stalemate with the team.
Defensive tackle Vita Vea threw his hat in the ring as he also wants a new contract ahead of a contract year. Unlike Mayfield though, Vea is holding in and opted not to participate during OTAs and minicamp without a new deal.
Training Camp is next on the docket, and an NFL insider’s latest report indicates that the Bucs and Vea aren’t any closer on an extension.
Tampa Bay would ideally like to have the anchor of their defense on the field as the preparation for the 2026 season kicks into high gear. Something’s got to give.
Buccaneers are in “no rush” to sign Vita Vea to a contract extension
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that despite his hold-in, the Bucs aren’t necessarily feeling the urgency to extend Vea, or his counterpart Mayfield for that matter.
@MikeGarafolo is reporting that the Bucs aren’t close on contract extensions for Baker Mayfield & Vita Vea, and they’re in no rush.
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) July 8, 2026
“When it comes to Baker Mayfield or even Vita Vea on the other side of the ball… the Bucs are in no rush on either one of these.”
🎥 @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/U5CKCsLloy
“When it comes to Baker Mayfield or even Vita Vea on the other side of the ball… the Bucs are in no rush on either one of these.”
It’ll be interesting to see if Vea continues to stay on the sidelines come training camp without a new deal, or if he’ll join Mayfield in practicing amid negotiations.
Or could things take an even darker turn with Vea requesting a trade if talks don’t progress?
Despite being set to earn $17 million in 2026, Vea is underpaid based on everything he brings to the table for Tampa Bay.
He’s currently the NFL’s 19th-highest paid defensive tackle, and there are currently 10 players at the position making at least $24 million.
Vea is due for a significant pay bump, and it makes sense why he’d push for that raise ahead of his age-31 season, as this could be the last major contract extension of his career.
Vea is the heart and soul of Tampa Bay’s defense, and their emphasis on stopping the run all starts with him. They’ve had the NFL’s No. 1 rushing defense since he became a full-time starter in 2019, and they’ve ranked in the top-five in six of his eight pro seasons.
His importance to the defense can’t be overstated, and that could give him all the leverage as he seeks a well-deserved pay increase.
The Bucs will have some difficult decisions to make, with Mayfield and Vea asking for big money contracts now, while key players like Cody Mauch and Yaya Diaby are also free agents next offseason.
They might not be able to pay everybody, so the front office will spend these next few weeks leading up to training camp weighing who they want to prioritize for contract extensions.
Vea is hoping he’ll be near the top of the team’s priority list, and that this contract dispute will work itself out before the 2026 season begins.
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