Buccaneers' Todd Bowles Responds To Vita Vea's Trade Request

What does the Bucs' head coach think of the situation?

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50) warms up prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially started training camp on July 28, but not without some big stories looming over it.

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was looking for a new extension this offseason, but the two sides were unable to come to a deal. Mayfield is set to play out this year without an extension before hitting free agency, but another Bucs player, defensive tackle Vita Vea, is in the same situation — and he's escalating things further.

Vea requested a trade earlier this week and is not participating in training camp while he awaits an extension on his $17.75 million deal. The official story is that Vea tweaked his back during conditioning tests, but it only benefits him to hold out until he gets his new deal or until he is traded away from Tampa Bay.

Head coach Todd Bowles spoke after the first day of training camp, and he gave his thoughts on Vea's trade request and the situation surrounding him.

Head Coach Todd Bowles Speaks on Vita Vea's Trade Request

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bowles said that things like this happen every year, and he's expecting the situation to "take care of itself."

"It comes up every year. That usually takes care of itself," Bowles said. "Our job is to get the guys ready to play for camp. Vita is here and we're getting him ready. He's engaged in the meetings. He understands everything. He helps all the guys out. So, we're getting ready to play the season with him."

Vea is seeking to become a top-paid defensive tackle, and that number is only growing higher with players like Jeffrey Simmons and Jalen Carter getting extensions.

Vea is 31, though, so there's an inherent risk of giving him a bigger contract. His play could drop off sooner rather than later, but for right now, he's a crucial part of Tampa Bay's defense.

Bowles noted that Vea and Mayfield's holdouts aren't anything new, and that things like this happen every year in the business of the NFL.

"Well, there [are] players every year [that] you’re going to have them [with]. These happen to be two of our biggest players. We haven't had two of our biggest in a while, but we've had players every year. It just hasn't been of that magnitude. But, it's always about football," Bowles said. "There [are] always going to be distractions just like there are on game day. There are going to be sudden changes and there are going to be sudden changes on the field."

But would the Buccaneers actually trade Vea? Vea could give Tampa Bay some value at this stage of his career, but when asked if he and general manager Jason Licht had fielded any calls, he seemed to shrug off the notion of trading Vea entirely.

"We have not even discussed it," Bowles said.

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