Vita Vea's contract hold-in with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to an end on Wednesday as the two sides agreed to a one-year extension that keeps the veteran defensive tackle with the team through the 2027 season with $30 million in new money. Vea requested a trade before training camp, but the two-time Pro Bowler insists that he never actually wanted to leave Tampa Bay. I feel like my heart is in Tampa," Vea said when speaking to reporters on Thursday.
That’s why I’m glad we were able to get this done. This is something that happens every year, it just so happened to be me this year. There’s just stuff we had to figure out on both sides and we got it all squared away.
"Vita is exactly the type of player and person we want to build around in Tampa Bay," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said, via team insider Jenna Laine of ESPN. "He has been a dominant force in the middle of our defense, an exceptional teammate, and a tremendous leader in our locker room. One of the keys to our recent success has been our ability to draft, develop and re-sign core, foundational players who set the standard for what it means to be a Buccaneer.
"As one of our team leaders, Vita has played a big role in establishing that winning culture, and we are excited to have him continuing to help lead the way as we pursue our next championship." The Buccaneers will begin their regular-season schedule with a Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 13.
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