The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have opened training camp, but two key players remain without contract extensions: quarterback Baker Mayfield and nose tackle Vita Vea. Earlier this offseason, Mayfield made it clear that contract talks would be put on hold during camp so he could focus entirely on the 2026 season. Vea, however, has taken a different approach.

The 31-year-old veteran is seeking a new deal, but negotiations have stalled, prompting him to request a trade just one day before the Buccaneers opened training camp on Tuesday. While Tampa Bay was never expected to move the top defensive tackle that quickly, the team has just revealed a major concern around Vea.

Per the Buccaneers’ reporter Rick Stroud, Vea has reported to training camp, but has not been practicing. It’s the script he followed during the mandatory minicamp as well. He showed up at the team facility in June but refrained from participating in practices. In the process, he avoided the fines but made his intention for the contract extension clear.

This time, however, the situation is different. Head coach Todd Bowles later confirmed that Vea is not participating in practice because he has “tweaked something” and is now sitting out after making a trade request.

For now, we don’t know whether the two-time Pro Bowler will spend the 2026 season with the Buccaneers or would be traded elsewhere. But the contract stall doesn’t seem to be working out in the Bucs’ favor.

Vea is entering the final year of his four-year, $71 million deal, which he signed in 2022. In 2026, he is set to make $17 million, while also eyeing a per-game roster bonus worth up to $1 million. At the same time, however, his $17 million is not guaranteed. So, a contract extension before starting the season is a legit demand, and his holdout at training camp also seems valid. Head coach Todd Bowles, however, earlier noted that Vea’s situation is nothing but a part of business.

“It’s not concerning,” Bowles said back in June, during the mandatory minicamp. “We’ve been through it before. It’s part of the business.”

At 31 and the leading defender of the Bucs’ defense, Vita Vea wants to secure his future while matching market value. After all, three of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the league are making over $30 million per year: Jalen Carter at $38 million, Jeffrey Simmons at $35.28 million, and Chris Jones at $31.75 million. Vea, meanwhile, is not even in the top 10.

At the same time, the Buccaneers have also made major changes on the defense, after the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2025 following four straight NFC South titles. The Bucs drafted edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and LB Josiah Trotter in the first and second rounds, respectively. On top of that, they also brought veteran LB Alex Anzalone, DT A’Shawn Robinson, and DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches.

A former first-rounder, Vita Vea has been an efficient defender for the Bucs ever since the team drafted him in the 2018 NFL draft. In 112 appearances and 107 starts, the DT has recorded 35 sacks, 256 combined tackles, 154 solo tackles, and 48 tackles for loss. He’s entering the final year of his deal after recording 4.5 sacks in the 2025 season, along with 34 total tackles.

For now, Vea’s future ahead of the 2026 season is unclear. He could spend his ninth season in Tampa Bay. But for that, a contract extension is necessary. He could also play elsewhere. But for that, the Buccaneers have to find a suitable trade partner for him. For now, the latter scenario seems likely, as Vea has already requested a trade, and considering Tampa Bay also needs to take care of Baker Mayfield’s contract extension.