The Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a one-year contract extension with defensive tackle Vita Vea, a league source told The Athletic.
The deal is worth $30 million, with $6 million applied to this season, the source said on condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official. Vea is now tied to Tampa Bay through the 2027 season, and is slated to make $24 million both this season and next.
The Bucs selected Vea with the No. 12 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Washington. The California native missed the first three games of his rookie campaign because of a hamstring injury suffered in training camp but ended up playing in 13 games in 2018, starting eight. The next season, Vea became an anchor for the Bucs’ defense, starting all 16 games in 2019.
Injuries limited Vea to just five games in 2020, but he’s been a durable player since. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after starting 16 games and notching four sacks. In 2022, as Vea was set to enter the final year of his rookie deal, the Bucs signed him to a four-year extension that began in 2023. Vea was once again set to enter the final year of his deal before the new extension.
The 31-year-old has been a major factor for the Bucs’ defense against the run and against the pass. He has at least 12 quarterback hits in four of the past five seasons and is one season removed from having seven sacks in 2024. Vea’s impact goes beyond statistics, as he routinely draws double-teams that give teammates favorable matchups along the defensive line.
After Mike Evans’ departure this offseason, Vea is one of only five players on the Bucs roster who were on the Super Bowl team in 2021.
This story will be updated.
