Tampa Bay Buccaneers star defensive tackle Vita Vea has agreed to sign a four-year, $73 million contract extension ($42 million guaranteed), per a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Vea, who was drafted by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, has served as a focal point on the defensive line with 31 total tackles (21 solo), four sacks and three pass deflections on the 2021 season.
“Vita Vea has emerged as one of our league’s most disruptive interior defensive linemen due to a unique skillset that combines strength and superior athleticism,” Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht said. “Vita’s abilities as both a premier run stuffer and pass rusher are rare, and his presence on the defensive front has played a major role in our ability to consistently rank among the league leaders in rush defense since his arrival. We look forward to having Vita remain a core piece of our defense for years to come and are excited to continue watching him develop into one of the best nose tackles in the NFL.”
Vea (age 26) sports a career total of 44 games played with the Bucs in four seasons. He’s tallied 105 total tackles (68 solo) and 11.5 sacks over that time period despite battling through a right ankle injury in 2020 and a lost tooth / MCL problems in 2021.
“I don’t care. He’s got 30 other ones,” HC Bruce Arians said in viral comment earlier this season.
Tampa Bay (12-4) is set to cap off its regular season on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET against the Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers currently stand as the No. 3 seed, but will look to gain the upper hand on the team in the No. 2 spot — the Los Angeles Rams — with a win and Rams loss.
(Featured image by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)