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NFL Network: Bucs Haven’t Talked Contract Extension With Vita Vea August 19th, 2026Vita Vea asked to be traded and it’s becoming increasingly clear why. The Bucs’ manbeast defensive tackle didn’t have to make that big leap to request getting launched from Tampa. He could have had his hold-in/faux injury without asking out of town. Or he could have held out and, you know, posted workout videos from home on social media. So why did Vea go to the trade-me extreme? Perhaps it’s because the Bucs have completely shunned his demands. Vea wants a giant raise and he has no contract for next year. The Bucs, per NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport yesterday, have shown no legit interest in extending Vea’s contract. “It certainly seems like he and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers really have not gotten off the ground with any talks of a possible extension. My understanding is they really didn’t go down the road at all to a possible extension,” Rapoport said. As Sage of Tampa Bay Sports Ira Kaufman has said many times, Vea will not succeed in pushing around Team Glazer and Jason Licht into a market-value contract this summer. So how much is Vea willing to dig in? And is Licht willing to keep an unhappy player who is getting rustier by the day? Rapoport said “this one’s not quite over yet.” Meanwhile, the trade market for Vea seems vibrant, with multiple teams ready to deal. Joe has maintained a Vea trade could be a very smart move, though there’s no way Licht would trade Vea until he sees his other defensive tackles emerge from the preseason healthy.