Recently, Vita Vea requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leaving his future with the franchise uncertain. Todd Bowles, who still does not know whether he will be able to count on him in the short term, acknowledged that the situation could become a concern once the preseason games are over.
“Again, it’s still early,” the manager said in a press conference. “We’ve only been in pads for two days. We’re not concerned at this point and I think those things take care of themselves. Once you get past two or three preseason games, you start to worry a little bit.”
The defensive tackle is looking for a new contract, a situation that has led him to remain away from the 2026 training camp for the time being. Despite that, Bowles acknowledged that Vea has been “very engaged” from the sideline.
What is Vita Vea’s current situation?
Vita Vea is entering the final year of the four-year, $71 million extension he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, set to make $18 million in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $22.19 million. Following stalled negotiations over a new contract extension, the 31-year-old two-time Pro Bowler requested a trade in late July 2026.
Vita Vea #50 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers talks with head coach Todd Bowles.
With Tampa Bay weighing their options, several teams across the league have inquired about potential trade deals for the veteran defensive tackle, with the New York Giants reportedly passing on him.
Vea’s numbers from last season
In his 2025 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Vita Vea remained a durable anchor in the interior defensive line, starting all 17 regular-season games. The veteran nose tackle recorded 34 total tackles (16 solo), 4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, two passes defensed, and one fumble recovery.
Names Bowles is considering as potential replacements for Vea
If Vita Vea is traded or unavailable for Week 1, Todd Bowles and his staff would likely turn to free-agent addition A’Shawn Robinson or DeMonte Capehart to anchor the interior of the defensive line at nose tackle. Tampa Bay could also lean on rotational depth options like Rakeem Nunez-Roches or rookie Elijah Simmons to swallow up blocks in odd-front packages, while shifting Calijah Kancey and Elijah Roberts into heavier interior alignments.
