Buccaneers' Vita Vea Draws Praise From NFL Defensive Line Coach

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a big decision to make with Vita Vea.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50) walks out for player introductions prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a big decision to make when it comes to paying quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is in the last year of his $33 million APY deal and is looking for an extension. But he isn't the only Buccaneers player hoping for more money.

Defensive tackle Vita Vea has been a stalwart of Tampa Bay's defensive line since he was drafted in 2018, and he's one of the few remaining members of Tampa Bay's roster who won the Super Bowl with the team in 2020. He signed a four-year, $73 million extension with the Buccaneers in 2022, but with that deal aging, he's also looking to re-up in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs have committed to neither of these contracts, and with Vea being 31 years old, Tampa Bay could be cautious about giving him a new deal that would make him among the higher-paid defensive tackles in the league. But one NFL defensive line coach thinks he can still produce at a high level as he heads into his ninth NFL season.

Vita Vea an Honorable Mention Among NFL's Best DTs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (50) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ESPN released a list of the top defensive tackles in the NFL, and while Vea did not make the list of top 10 players, he was listed as an honorable mention — and he did garner some praise from an anonymous NFL defensive line coach.

"He's still such a load to deal with, and he played a little lighter last year, which is good for him," the defensive line coach said.

Vea netted 4.5 sacks last year and seven tackles for loss with the Bucs in 2025. Those numbers are drop-offs from his 2024 season, where he contributed 7.5 sacks and 10 TFL, and he also had his lowest total tackle numbers (34) since his 2022 season. Given his decline in stats, it's understandable that the Bucs would be somewhat hesitant to give him a bigger deal.

That being said, Vea did play in all 17 games last season, so he has still proven he can stay healthy. Additionally, the fact that he's a space eater on the defensive interior means his game will probably age well for at least a few more years, and he could perform even better in 2026 and beyond if the help on the edge Tampa Bay brought in this offseason pans out.

So how much is Vea worth, exactly? Spotrac has his market value at $27.8 million APY — if he were to make that on a new extension, he'd become the sixth-highest-paid defensive tackle in football and he'd be one of only two players on that list to be over 30 years old.

The anonymous NFL defensive line coach's words indicate that Vea is still a vaunted player on the interior, however. And if the Bucs don't sign him to an extension before the season begins, it will be up to him to prove it in 2026.

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