Vita Vea can request a trade much the same way I can ask the mortgage company to lower my rates or Michael Scott can declare bankruptcy. While we should never let go of our ceremonial expressions of unhappiness with a financial situation, an employer or an institution, the reality is that the Buccaneers’ defensive tackle has realized the extent of his true value too late in life. The result will almost certainly be an unsatisfactory reworking of the final year of his contract before Vea is allowed to walk elsewhere next offseason.
But the situation itself sheds light on two fascinating, parallel developments within the NFL that deserve our attention. One is that a market for Vea would be incredibly robust, which should be an indicator to Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht of how silly it might be to trade Vea if he is serious about competing in 2026 (or, I suppose, how silly Licht would be not to consider trading Vea if he wants to build a draft capital war chest for a quarterback in ’27). Dexter Lawrence II, entering his age-29 season, landed a top-10 pick from the Giants just a few months ago. Vea was second in the NFL in fielding double teams last season and led the NFL in quarterback pressures from snaps that originated in a double team. The Buccaneers have had the league’s second-best run defense in terms of EPA per play allowed since 2018, which coincides with the year Vea was selected in the first round.
