Vita Vea ‘excited’ for extension talks to continue with Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stunned when Vita Vea requested a trade amid their ongoing contract talks. The star defensive lineman wants a new contract, but the two sides are far apart. Vea requested the trade hoping to land his desired deal elsewhere, assuming Tampa wouldn’t pay up.

At this time, it seems as if cooler heads may be prevailing. The Buccaneers have not traded their former first-round pick. And according to recent reports, Vea appears to be looking forward to returning to the negotiating table with Tampa Bay.

“He is excited, he is hoping the talks continue there with his contract. He was still there coaching his guys. We saw the defensive line (at a joint practice) with Rueben Bain. (Vea) is excited to get out there, and hopefully have a chance to play with (Bain),” NFL analyst Maurice Jones-Drew said on NFL Network.

Vea has been an absolute menace on the interior defensive line for the Buccaneers. In 2025, he recorded 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for a loss for Tampa. The Buccaneers did not make the playoffs, but Vea showed why he is a feared presence on the defensive line.

The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with Tampa to this point. He ranks eighth all-time in franchise history with 35.5 sacks in his career. He is one of three defensive tackles to play more than 110 games with the franchise, as well.

Though nothing appears close on this situation, seeing both sides willing to talk is good for the Buccaneers and their fans. Only time will tell if this situation can be resolved before Week 1 kicks off next month.

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