Vita Vea’s future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is currently up in the air after he requested a trade, and that trade request is a result of contract negotiations not going the way he hoped. Fans would love if the Buccaneers could get things figured out and keep the veteran defender, and they have multiple good reasons to do that.
One of those reasons is that Tampa Bay just added a talented young edge defender to the defensive front. That player is Rueben Bain Jr., and Vea has already been impressed by the rookie. In a recent appearance on the Up & Adams show, the defensive tackle emphasized that he’s been impressed by the rookie’s motor, saying that Bain is already operating like he’s a veteran.
"You look at [Rueben Bain Jr.], you watch in practice, it’s weird because you don’t really normally see this out of rookies. It’s almost amazing to watch the evolution of talent that comes into the league. He looks like he’s been in the league for four years now, and he looks like he gets it, so it’s definitely amazing to have him on our team. "Vita Vea (Up & Adams)
As Vea said, it’s amazing to have the young defender “on our team.” Tampa Bay just needs to make sure they remain on the same team. With Bain seemingly ready to dominate the edge, it’d be a shame if he never got to lineup with Vea going to work on the interior.
Bucs DT Vita Vea has been IMPRESSED with rookie Rueben Bain so far in training camp:
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 30, 2026
"He looks like he's been in the league for 4 years now." 👀@ruebenbainjr | @VitaVea | @Buccaneers | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/JyLbQEnmxv
Vita Vea says Rueben Bain Jr. already looks like an NFL veteran
Having a quality edge defender on a defensive front that can generate pressure up the middle is what every defense is striving to have. While Bain still has to prove himself to the world, it seems like the Buccaneers have that combination. That’s not even taking into account other talented members of the defensive front like A’Shawn Robinson, Elijah Roberts, and Calijah Kancey.
Bain was selected with the 15th-overall pick in the 2026 Draft, with the expectation that he could be the guy on the defensive front. Buccaneers fans have quickly fallen in love with the defender’s no-nonsense, old-school mindset, so it’s not a surprise to see that people inside the building think Bain is already operating like a veteran.
The hope is that he will immediately rush the passer like a veteran, and that he will do so alongside Vita Vea.
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