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The Bucs have drawn national headlines since training camp started, but not for the reasons the fanbase wants to hear about.

Although there have been quite a few player performances to keep an eye on so far, quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea’s recent contract negotiations have been the dark cloud looming over everything else.

In an attempt to clear the air, general manager Jason Licht held a press conference fielding questions about the two franchise players. As it relates to Vea, he firmly denied any thought of the Pro Bowl nose tackle playing elsewhere this season or in the future.

Jason Licht, Vita Vea’s Camp Are Engaged In Contract Talks: “We Love Vita”

It is not surprising to see Vita Vea seeking security and stability as he enters the final year of the contract he signed in January 2022. Vea is currently entering the final year of a four-year deal that is quite the bargain given the current market. It makes sense that he wants to be fairly compensated going forward, as he is not getting any younger and his next contract lines up to be his last substantial payday.

At the same time, the Bucs have to consider the health of their cap sheet and the risks that come with forking over big money to an aging player. That has created a stalemate that has progressed to the point Vea has requested a trade.

Bucs DT Vita Vea and head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Vea’s agent, Collin Roberts, even came out on Wednesday stating that, “I just don’t see it ending in anything but a trade at this point.”

That does not offer much encouragement about a resolution, although these tactics are common in negotiations to reach the finish line. Given that the two-time Pro Bowler has yet to practice in camp so far with what the team has described as a back injury, Jason Licht first addressed where Vea stands health-wise.

“He’s got a minor thing right now and we don’t want to make it a major thing,” Licht said. “I don’t want to deal with hypotheticals right now, but he’s got a minor thing and we’re trying to take care of our players.”

Taking care of players means more than just from a physical sense in this situation. From Licht’s perspective, he shared that some progress has been made in taking care of Vea from a financial standpoint, too.

Bucs GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Leah Vrabec/PR

“We love Vita,” Licht added. “We’ve been engaged with his agent recently. I don’t know how it’s going to end but we’ve been engaged and that’s at least some progress.”

Even with the uncertainty, Licht has stood firm in what will not happen.

“I have no plans on trading Vita.”

Asked about whether he expects Vea to play out his contract under the current terms, Tampa Bay’s general manager remains hopeful.

“That’s what the hope is and that’s what we’re trying to resolve right now.”

There Is No Dismissing How Important Vita Vea Still Is To Bucs’ Defense

The Bucs’ defense is aiming to look different this season, but there is no denying how much they still rely on Vita Vea.

No. 50 is a big reason why the team’s run defense has been one of the league’s best under head coach Todd Bowles. Having a 350-pound nose tackle eat up and fight through double teams with superhuman strength is not something the team has ever taken for granted.

Bucs DT Vita Vea and Panthers QB Bryce Young – Photo by: IMAGN – Bob Donnan

Jason Licht still sees it that way.

“Vita is a great player,” Licht said. “We all know Vita. He is, I think, one of the better D-linemen in franchise history and he is a very important piece to this.”

Vea remains a cornerstone piece of the defense reaching its ceiling, but now the business side has taken over. He is seeking a raise on the $18 million he is set to earn in 2026. His demands are unknown, but it is likely he is seeking an additional year or two on top of his current deal that pays him over $20 million per year and puts him within the top 10 highest-paid defensive tackles in the league.

“It’s a big puzzle,” Licht said about trying to make things work. “I’ve said that a thousand times, I feel like. I give credit to my staff and the coaches. We have a lot of very good players that are either eligible, or will be eligible soon, for contract extensions. We take a lot of pride in how we’ve done our best to keep our core together with extensions, keeping guys and putting them at the top, or near the top [in terms of] resetting the market with certain players that we’ve done in the past, and then also extensions with other players.

“It’s a puzzle and it’s challenging. Not every situation is going to work out the way you want it to, and it can be frustrating for both the player and for the team. That’s just the way it goes – that’s just business.”

No matter how much the business side has started to make waves in a negative way, Licht does not see that affecting the team’s culture.

Bucs NT Vita Vea, former head coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: IMAGN Images

“Not at all. Everybody here is very focused. Everybody here is very excited about this team. Everybody is very optimistic. You feel the energy out here, but you also feel it in the building. I feel like the culture is maybe at one of its highest points.”

That last point is something the fanbase might scoff at considering recent events, but there is a sense of professionalism among players. Even Baker Mayfield has made it clear that despite his frustrations about not getting paid, he is all about football and locked in. It is hard to argue that the team is not committed to turning things around, especially with the work they have put in during training camp. Several positions (wide receiver, outside linebacker, and inside linebacker) are deeper and have new additions already making waves this summer.

Despite Vea not being out there with the defensive line, the trenches are another area Licht is excited about.

“We’re very excited about the players we brought in, the depth, the free agents, the draft. Watching practice every day – watching with the scouts afterward – one thing we look forward to most is watching that defense, especially that front right now. We feel like we’ve got attitude. We feel like we’ve got a lot of fire. It’s one of the things Todd and I talked about in the offseason – wanting to add to this team. We feel like we did right now.”

Now it is about ensuring the biggest piece of the Bucs’ defensive front is prepared to play out this season. Vita Vea remains a productive player, and Tampa Bay has made it clear they want to keep him around for 2026 and beyond.

“Yeah, that’s the hope.”