Vita Vea, a cornerstone of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive front, has requested a trade from the team as contract extension negotiations have stalled, his agent informed ESPN. The 31-year-old lineman is entering the last year of his four-year, $71 million contract and is scheduled to earn $17 million this season, with none of that amount guaranteed. He is also eligible for a per-game roster bonus capped at $1 million.
According to reports, Vea is currently the 19th highest-paid defensive tackle in the league. Among those ranked higher, only four are older than Vea. Head coach Todd Bowles had previously stated his lack of concern regarding Vea's status as a hold-in during mandatory minicamp last month, characterizing contract negotiations as "part of the business."
Vea is expected to report for training camp with the rest of the team on Tuesday. The Buccaneers are not obligated to trade the defensive tackle, but his departure would leave a significant void on their defensive line.
Last season, Vea participated in all 17 games, recording 4.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and 34 tackles. Since being selected 12th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, he has accumulated 35 sacks for the Buccaneers. Without Vea, the team's top defensive linemen would include Calijah Kancey, A’Shawn Robinson, Elijah Roberts, rookie DeMonte Capehart, and veteran Rakeem Nunez-Roches. None of these players have more than 15 career sacks.
The Buccaneers are also navigating contract discussions with quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is in the final year of a $100 million contract. Mayfield participated fully in minicamp but indicated that contract talks are "nowhere close" to an agreement and stated he would not engage in negotiations once training camp begins.