Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea wants a new contract. He has requested a trade if the team does not work with him to get a deal done. As of now, he is holding out at training camp while he waits. Today, he took to X to let fans know how he feels about the contract standoff.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network chimed in on the Vea discussion. He noted that Vea has stats that are very similar to those of Jeffrey Simmons, Quinnen Williams, Jalen Carter, and Dexter Lawrence. All four of those players signed massive deals this offseason.
So, Garafolo argued that while Vea is not even asking to set the market with his deal, he is looking to get in their range. Vea had a one-emoji response to the argument made by Garafolo. A simple shrug, as if to say he does not need to state his case; the case is presented right in front of him.
This is notable considering the last time Vea tweeted was in September of 2025. He does not take to social media often. However, he felt his case needed to be stated.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Tackle Makes Social Media Post Amid Contract Talks
GettyBucs DT Vita Vea
Simmons is making $35.3M per year based on the new deal he signed. Williams just signed a new deal that will get him to $35.3M, but a slight tick ahead of what Simmons saw. Carter set the market this summer at $38M per year. Lastly, Lawrence got a new extension at $28M per year when he got traded.
Vea has stats that are similar to all four, but he sits at $17.75M per. That is why Vea wants more.
It is fair to mention that Vea is 31 years old. Carter saw the most money because he is 25, which means the thought is that he can achieve a higher ceiling. Still, Simmons, Lawrence, and Williams are all 29 years old.
Lawrence is a nose tackle, playing the same role as Vea. They are two years younger than Vea, so it is fair that Vea is not asking for as much as the others. However, there is a lot of wiggle room between the $17.7M that Tampa is currently giving him and the $28M that Lawrence is getting.
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The issue is that Tampa Bay appears to be stuck in a spot where they need to see how things go this year before they start to commit any sort of future money into players, especially players who are over age 30.
The team is entering a year where Todd Bowles could be fired if things do not go well. Beyond that, things could get dicey with quarterback Baker Mayfield after this year as well. The Bucs have already started to get younger by moving on from Mike Evans and seeing Lavonte David retire.
There could be a quick transition coming if the Bucs do not hit their goals. So, the team might be more interested in giving Vea a small bump for one year than an actual extension. This makes things tough.
Vita Vea Takes to Social Media Amid Buccaneers Standoff