The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly one of three teams to have contacted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers about veteran defensive tackle Vita Vea.
On Aug. 18, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter provided an update on the situation, and any team’s hopes of potentially trading for Vea took a major blow.
“The fact of the matter is I don’t think the Buccaneers are looking to trade Vita Vea,” Schefter said on “NFL Live.” “I do think we’re entering the time of the season where teams sometimes make another push to make things happen.
“It wouldn’t shock me if all this cold, frosty talk thawed a little bit in the coming weeks… For the time being, he’s not happy; there’s no deal. We could continue floating teams. I just think that that’s going to be premature. Let’s sit back, let’s wait, let’s see what happens, and then we can discuss Vita Vea.”
Last season with Tampa Bay, the veteran defensive tackle played 764 total snaps, leading to a 72.8 overall PFF defensive grade. Moreover, Vea generated 51 total pressures, four sacks, 39 hurries, and eight QB hits while also recording 22 solo tackles against the run.
49ers Are One of the Teams Calling About Vita Vea
NFL insider Mike Garafolo provided an update on Vea’s future ahead of the 2026 season on Aug. 14, revealing that multiple teams have at least checked in on the situation.
“My understanding is there has been communication between the sides,“ Garafolo said on the NFL Network. “A deal is not imminent. Teams have called the Buccaneers to see if they’re 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 Vita Vea.”
The 49ers are in a challenging division, with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks fielding defenses that will make it difficult for opposing offenses to score points.
As a result, the Niners need to stay on par with them, and whether it’s Vea or another player like Maxx Crosby, San Francisco needs a game-changer or two on their defense. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers are one of the major players at the trade deadline later this fall.
Niners Insider Responds to Vita Vea Trade Rumors
After this report from Garafolo, 49ers reporter Grant Cohn noted that he sees why the Niners are among the teams calling about Vea before the 2026 NFL season. Moreover, for Cohn, Vea would fix a major concern he has for San Francisco after seeing the preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans.
“This should come as no surprise, the Niners’ interest, because Alfred Collins, who plays the same position as Vita Vea, just had a really rough game in the preseason against the Titans,“ Cohn said in an Aug. 15 video on his YouTube channel.
“Got pushed all around. Really looked not great coming off an offseason where he was out most of the year with the shoulder thing. So the Niners are trying to get serious. They’re trying to make a Super Bowl run.”
49ers Receive Major Vita Vea News Amid Trade Rumors