Will the Buccaneers trade Vita Vea before the NFL trade deadline?

Vita Vea requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the offseason after the two sides were unable to agree on a contract extension.

They reached a deal at the final buzzer, with Vea signing a one-year, $30 million extension to keep him in Tampa Bay through the 2027 season, and the saga appeared to be officially put to bed.

But with the Buccaneers facing a lost season after a 1-5 start, things have come full circle. Vea is once again being floated as a trade candidate ahead of the deadline.

ESPN names Vita Vea as a potential Buccaneers trade candidate

ESPN’s NFL insider Dan Graziano compiled a list of players to watch as sleeper trade candidates, and Vea was one of the names mentioned.

“The Buccaneers are 1-5. Vea is 31 years old, and he and the team begrudgingly came to a compromise agreement on his contract during training camp. The Bucs didn't act as if he was part of their long-term future, and if teams come looking for a big, run-stuffing defensive tackle, Tampa would be silly not to listen.”

When the Buccaneers gave Vea a hefty pay bump along with a one-year extension, they were under the impression that they’d be a playoff contender, and Vea would be a key piece of a championship run. But with Tampa Bay holding the worst record in the NFC, trading aging players for future draft capital could suddenly be much more appealing.

Teams could call Jason Licht to gauge the Buccaneers’ willingness to move Vea, but unless a desperate contender blows Tampa Bay away with an offer, don’t expect a trade to materialize.

Naturally, trade rumors will continue to swirl around the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for as long as they’re at the bottom of the NFL standings. With their playoff hopes all but dead and a potential coaching overhaul looming this offseason, Tampa Bay has every reason to consider selling off veterans for future draft capital.

Vea, however, isn't just another aging player on a losing team. His ability to occupy double teams and create opportunities for his teammates makes him an important piece of the Buccaneers’ defense, even when his impact doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. Trading him would create another hole on a roster that already has plenty of questions to answer.

Not to mention, according to Spotrac, moving Vea would cost the Buccaneers $9.26 million in dead cap space this year and $19.64 million in 2027.

A fire sale may well be on the horizon in Tampa Bay, but unless Jason Licht gets an offer he can’t refuse, don’t expect Vea to be moved at the trade deadline.

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