The Buffalo Bills need a big body to occupy the middle of their defensive line in the new scheme implemented by incoming coordinator Jim Leonhard, and may have just gotten the perfect candidate to fall into their lap.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Vita Vea cut off his contract negotiations with the team and requested a trade this week, putting one of the league’s best run stuffers on the trade block. Though it would be costly for the Bills, one NFL insider sees it as the perfect move for a Buffalo team looking to take the next step.
Bills Need Size in the Middle
NFL.com writer Kevin Patra broke down the top landing spots for Vea, putting the Bills at the top of his list. Patra noted that it wouldn’t be an easy fit for the cap-strapped Bills, but they might need to find a way to make it work.
“The Bills would have to do some cap gymnastics to make it work, but from a scheme and need fit, he’d be the perfect solution in the middle of the defense,” Patra wrote. “The Bills struggled up the gut last year, particularly when Ed Oliver was out. Vea would plug that hole. Putting the veteran between Oliver and promising second-year defensive tackle Deone Walker would make Jim Leonhard’s defense sing.”
The Bills haven’t made any sweeping changes to their defensive personnel despite switching from former head coach Sean McDermott’s 4-3 base defense to Leonhard’s 3-4. The team lacked a prototypical nose tackle, and Vea could provide the big body the Bills need in the middle.
Landing Vea would also require Bills general manager Brandon Beane to get over his aversion to sweeping trades. Other than the deal bringing Stefon Diggs to the Bills in 2020, Beane has avoided making big investments of the team’s draft picks and often spoke out against teams like the Los Angeles Rams mortgaging many future draft picks to make a run at a Super Bowl.
Bills Could Face Challenge in Landing Vita Vea
Though the Bills are set to open a new stadium with a roof that covers much of the stands, Vea could be on the lookout for a warmer climate than what the team can offer. The California native reportedly wants to play on the west coast, which could put the Bills out of the picture absent a strong sales pitch on the team’s Super Bowl hopes and the relatively mild autumn weather in Western New York.
Vea could be a strong fit for the Bills, with Leonhard saying he wants the defensive front to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
“We’re going to be an attacking defense up front and in the back end,” Leonhard said. “We’re going to attack the football. The biggest stat in football is turnovers, so we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to fly around, we’re going to communicate, we’re going to play well together, but we’re going to cause issues for offense, and we’re going to force them to react to us.”
Bills Named Top Landing Spot for ‘Perfect Fit’ Vita Vea After Trade Request