It wouldn’t be a preseason without contract disputes heading into the regular season. While the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions were able to end Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs’ holdouts with contract extensions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still negotiating with their defensive stalwart, Vita Vea.
The Buccaneers have remained steadfast in wanting to come to terms with the two-time Pro Bowler. However, a few teams, including the Buffalo Bills, have reportedly reached out to see if acquiring the nose tackle through a trade would be a possibility.
Buffalo Bills Among Teams to Enquire About Vita Vea’s Availability
Not only did Vea sit out of the Buccaneers’ opening preseason game, but he also has not been practicing. Entering the final year of his extension, the nine-year veteran is making just under $18 million a year at a position that has seen its price tag bloom as of late.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shared on NFL Gameday, “The big nose tackle will not be playing tonight. He hasn’t been practicing because he is upset with the fact that he’s entering the final year of his deal.
“Set to make around $18 million this upcoming season, with the top of the defensive tackle market now at $38 million, and a few other guys that he feels his production is comparable with also getting deals in the $30+ million range.”
Garafolo continued, “Vea was here with the team at the joint practice the other day. He was not wearing his jersey; he had it tucked into the back of his pants. It’s clear Vea is upset; I did post on social media about his production… and a few of his teammates and he as well reposted it and said, ‘Yeah, this is the point we are trying to make on this one.'”
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Garafolo made it clear there’s been no progress since talks stalled and Vea requested a trade.
He did share that some franchises have inquired about a trade, saying, “Teams have called the Buccaneers to see if they are interested in trading him; among them I’m told are the Bills, the Bears, the 49ers, and there are a few others as well, but the Buccaneers continue to say, internally, they are not trading him.”
Vea is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. However, Vea wasn’t as highly rated on PFN’s Defensive Tackle Impact metric as many would think.
In 2025, he was the 25th-ranked DT in the league with an impact score of 78.6. He amassed just 4.5 sacks, eight QB hits, seven tackles for loss, and 34 tackles in 17 games; a three-point drop from the 2024 season, where he ranked 15th with an impact score of 81.6.
Vea has been a force for the Buccaneers since they selected him 12th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, if they are unable to reach terms on another contract extension, getting Bills GM Brandon Beane on the phone and sending Vea to the AFC could be the next-best option.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.