yeah Vita's request has nothing to do with contending or Bowles. I wanted Bowles gone too but it's about money and security. Could you blame him?
he probably only has 1-3 years left so he is trying to cash in because once it's clear that he is washed, it's game over.
Can't fault Vita at all for trying
without him, we might as well stick a fork in this season. Robinson, Kancey, and i guess either Roberts or Nunez-Roches would take over. Leave the rotation depleted.
the homers will chalk it up to bad luck once Kancey goes down with his annual injury as well.
could see this disaster from a mile away in yet again the weakest division in football and missing playoffs. Do they fire Bowles after the 6-11 incoming season?
Defense won't be all that great without him. Then again they won't be all that great with him because we have bowles. It's not a bad idea to move on because he likely cost a lot and we won't be contending again until we switch the hc at the very least. I have a similar opinion that I had with Mike Evans let him chase a ring and whatever else he wants. Vea wants to get paid let him go get paid. I'm not sure he has more than 2 or 3 years left in him and if you think we're contending during that time sure pay him but I dont think we will be as long as magoo is here.the best players cost a lot. If we want bain and diaby to be successful we need a force in the middle. Evans leaving hurts but we have a good amount of talent at wr. Can we say the same for DT?
Make him play it out. He will want to ball it out to get a big contract. Likely his last big season. He will go to a new team while on the wrong side of 30 and Tampa gets a compensatory pick. I doubt he is dumb enough to sit out. There is zero benefit to not getting paid and getting another year older. Tampa would also have his 2027 rights if he sits out while healthy.
Agreed.
Trade him.
Try and get as much draft capital as you possibly can.
Agreed. Selfish move for a guy that can't play 3/4 snaps
He actually played the highest snap percentage of his career last season at 73% with 763 snaps. That surprised me too.
Would suck to see him go especially after you just drafted a stud in Bain. I hope they work it out and can keep him for another 2 years or so.
Had to know Suh would chime in
“I’ve never understood why teams want to wait until the last minute to have discussions or create even further tension in a relationship where it could just be easily clear, clean communication,” Suh said. “But why wait until the last minute? To me it’s very, very odd to why not say – if this is a cornerstone player of your organization, somebody that has helped you win a championship, multiple Pro Bowls and has an opportunity to still play at a very, very high level for your organization. If you value them, you tell them that and let’s figure out a mutual relationship versus waiting until the very last minute.
“And who in their right mind would go to a job and have no guarantee of what their salary is going to be? To me, I’m not going to work out for free and play for free and you wouldn’t just show up to work for free.”
Had to know Suh would chime in
“I’ve never understood why teams want to wait until the last minute to have discussions or create even further tension in a relationship where it could just be easily clear, clean communication,” Suh said. “But why wait until the last minute? To me it’s very, very odd to why not say – if this is a cornerstone player of your organization, somebody that has helped you win a championship, multiple Pro Bowls and has an opportunity to still play at a very, very high level for your organization. If you value them, you tell them that and let’s figure out a mutual relationship versus waiting until the very last minute.
“And who in their right mind would go to a job and have no guarantee of what their salary is going to be? To me, I’m not going to work out for free and play for free and you wouldn’t just show up to work for free.”
Suh is usually pretty astute on his financial takes but working for free does not equal what Vea is playing for in 2026 lol
its all about job security
This is a whole lot of nothing, unless the right offer comes. He’s under contract and he’s not holding out. He’s too old.
The Buc’s should stand put and just know they hold the cards. Simple. Just like with Baker.
Fun off-season stuff.
Had to know Suh would chime in
“I’ve never understood why teams want to wait until the last minute to have discussions or create even further tension in a relationship where it could just be easily clear, clean communication,” Suh said. “But why wait until the last minute? To me it’s very, very odd to why not say – if this is a cornerstone player of your organization, somebody that has helped you win a championship, multiple Pro Bowls and has an opportunity to still play at a very, very high level for your organization. If you value them, you tell them that and let’s figure out a mutual relationship versus waiting until the very last minute.
“And who in their right mind would go to a job and have no guarantee of what their salary is going to be? To me, I’m not going to work out for free and play for free and you wouldn’t just show up to work for free.”
Suh is usually pretty astute on his financial takes but working for free does not equal what Vea is playing for in 2026 lol
its all about job security
Yes Suh is and yes it does. Its his scenario so the Bucs had ot see this coming given that the two are tight. No way this "hold in" is catching the Bucs off guard,
I agree with Suh. Only fans cheer "make him play it out." A player playing out their contract at his age when someone will give him a deal that provides more security has every right to think of it as no secuirty ESPECIALLY when that player has previously reworked deal to help the team. Just my take, but if the Bucs can approach and rework a deal that they are not happy with (Dean) they can also rework a deal with a legend. They may choose not to, but thats ultimately on them if he leaves.
Its just like Evans. They offered Evans MORE than the 49ers, but clearly they didnt offer him 27 million lol. Every player/deal has a value and players and teams often see them differently. Just like it was "more power to Evans" its more power to Vea, especially because just like Evans both team and player can get a good outcome.
Could the Bucs sign both Mayfield and Vea to the types of deals they seek?
Vea must want 22-24ish APY? Mayfield $55 APY?
Had to know Suh would chime in
“I’ve never understood why teams want to wait until the last minute to have discussions or create even further tension in a relationship where it could just be easily clear, clean communication,” Suh said. “But why wait until the last minute? To me it’s very, very odd to why not say – if this is a cornerstone player of your organization, somebody that has helped you win a championship, multiple Pro Bowls and has an opportunity to still play at a very, very high level for your organization. If you value them, you tell them that and let’s figure out a mutual relationship versus waiting until the very last minute.
“And who in their right mind would go to a job and have no guarantee of what their salary is going to be? To me, I’m not going to work out for free and play for free and you wouldn’t just show up to work for free.”
Suh is usually pretty astute on his financial takes but working for free does not equal what Vea is playing for in 2026 lol
its all about job security
Yes Suh is and yes it does. Its his scenario so the Bucs had ot see this coming given that the two are tight. No way this "hold in" is catching the Bucs off guard,
I agree with Suh. Only fans cheer "make him play it out." A player playing out their contract at his age when someone will give him a deal that provides more security has every right to think of it as no secuirty ESPECIALLY when that player has previously reworked deal to help the team. Just my take, but if the Bucs can approach and rework a deal that they are not happy with (Dean) they can also rework a deal with a legend. They may choose not to, but thats ultimately on them if he leaves.
Its just like Evans. They offered Evans MORE than the 49ers, but clearly they didnt offer him 27 million lol. Every player/deal has a value and players and teams often see them differently. Just like it was "more power to Evans" its more power to Vea, especially because just like Evans both team and player can get a good outcome.
thing with Evans is that he likely still has 3-4 years of half decent play that would be worth the contract
with DTs, and in particular with our big man not exactly being an Aaron Donald freak of nature, he likely has 1 or 2 years left of half decent play. I am sure Vita isn't holding out for a 2 year deal so he likely wants a 2 to 3 year extension in addition to 2026 season so if that's the case, it's hard to cave into that, particularly if he hits a brick wall/father time in terms of production.
thing with Evans is that he likely still has 3-4 years of half decent play that would be worth the contract
Yeah, this is nothing like Evans for a bunch of reasons. Namely among them is Evans was FA, while Vea is not.
If Vea wants to be paid now the Bucs have to trade him. If he wants to wait a year then he is still a Buc.
Make him play it out. He will want to ball it out to get a big contract. Likely his last big season. He will go to a new team while on the wrong side of 30 and Tampa gets a compensatory pick. I doubt he is dumb enough to sit out. There is zero benefit to not getting paid and getting another year older. Tampa would also have his 2027 rights if he sits out while healthy.
Agreed.
Trade him.
Try and get as much draft capital as you possibly can.
Agreed. Selfish move for a guy that can't play 3/4 snaps
He actually played the highest snap percentage of his career last season at 73% with 763 snaps. That surprised me too.
That's great but he still can't play 75% of the snaps with any consistency.
More than anything it comes down to how productive he can be in his 30s.
Also Dexter Lawrence got a top 10 pick... So maybe a good time to trade him anyway based on that barometer
Yeah, if we are still negotiating with Vita, they would at least have to Incorporate guarantying his final year, and I can’t see anyone offering him more than 2 years. After Vita going public, I don’t actually think the Bucs will offer him a contract extension unless it’s favorable to the team. The team is likely reviewing the trade value options.If Vea wants to be paid now the Bucs have to trade him. If he wants to wait a year then he is still a Buc.
Its business, I would love to have him, he’s still going to be one of the best pocket pushers in the league over the next 1 or 2 seasons, but he gets to determine his future now.
thing with Evans is that he likely still has 3-4 years of half decent play that would be worth the contract
The team's value statement ^^.
That is my point ("Every player/deal has a value and players and teams often see them differently") and they STILL didn't offer Evans what his agent said was the market for him.
Everyone here except you and Biggs seems to be okay with the Bucs early negotiating with Mayfield so long as the deal is okay, so why should Vea have to play out his deal? Because . . . those same fans think he may not have the same production going forward as Evans might ("3-4 year of half decent play") or that most people** think Mayfield might
(**If only we could get more people to see that Mayfield is really only a 1.33TD to INT QB . .. aka the "Last 8 games Model," made famous by the "objective" stat makers at PFF, I think!)
