Buccaneers, DT Vita Vea agree to 1-year, $30 million extension

Posted by Admin August 19, 2026 NFL

Buccaneers, DT Vita Vea agree to 1-year, million extension

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and veteran defensive tackle Vita Vea have agreed to a one-year, $30 million extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Vea had been holding in at training camp, hoping his contract situation would be resolved. The defensive tackle initially requested a trade, but Tampa Bay remained adamant that it wasn’t interested in moving him.

Vea was set to play in 2026, the final year of his four-year, $71 million extension that kicked in ahead of the 2023 season after he played in 2022 on a fifth-year option.

The Buccaneers released a statement through GM Jason Licht about the extension.

“Vita is exactly the type of player and person we want to build around in Tampa Bay.

As one of our team leaders, Vita has played a big role in establishing that winning culture, and we are excited to have him continuing to help lead the way as we pursue our next championship.”

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Now, the defensive tackle is linked to Tampa Bay through the 2027 season.

Vea was drafted 12th overall in 2018 by Tampa Bay. Since then, he has developed into one of the more consistent defensive tackles in the league. One of the strongest aspects of his game was his frame. Vea helps clog up the middle of the defensive line, thanks to his 6-foot-4, 347-pound frame.

He started all 17 games last season for the Buccaneers. He finished with 34 total tackles, including 4.5 sacks. Vea has had at least 4.5 sacks in each of the last four seasons.

His career-high came in 2024 when he finished with seven sacks on 42 total tackles. The performance helped him earn the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.

Vea’s first Pro Bowl season was in 2021. He played in 16 games and had four sacks with 33 total tackles, including 12 quarterback hits.

He was with the Buccaneers when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl LV.

Vea was a hold-in at training camp, which meant he was present but not working out. This status is different from a holdout where the player is away from the team. Vea being a hold-in helped him avoid fines from the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay and its re-signed defensive tackle will now turn their attention to their Week 1 road matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.