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Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has been one of the best players in the NFL at his position since general manager Jason Licht selected the former Washington Huskies star with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
However, in ESPN's annual rankings of the best players at the position ahead of the 2026 season, the 31-year-old, who has been selected to a pair of Pro Bowls and was a key piece of Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV victory, didn't crack the top ten and instead found himself among the honorable mentions.
"He's still such a load to deal with, and he played a little lighter last year, which is good for him," an NFL defensive line coach told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
However, the 6-foot-4, 347-pounder, who has spent all eight of his years with the organization, is in the middle of a hold-in during offseason workouts while he is seeking a new contract. Vea is currently entering the last year of a four-year, $71 million extension that kicked in following the 2022 season.
"I can tell you things have never gotten contentious between Vita Vea and the organization," ESPN's Booger McFarland reported. "Although he does see a lot of people around him, (Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle) Dexter Lawrence included, making a lot more money than he is. I think he just wants a bit of a pay bump."
According to Spotrac, Vea will be the NFL's 17th highest-paid defensive tackle in 2026, but with 256 tackles, 48 for loss, and 35 sacks under his belt, along with his reputation as one of the league's most-feared run defenders, he'd be well worth the extension.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former Washington star earns honorable mention among NFL's top DTs
Continue reading...
However, in ESPN's annual rankings of the best players at the position ahead of the 2026 season, the 31-year-old, who has been selected to a pair of Pro Bowls and was a key piece of Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV victory, didn't crack the top ten and instead found himself among the honorable mentions.
"He's still such a load to deal with, and he played a little lighter last year, which is good for him," an NFL defensive line coach told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
However, the 6-foot-4, 347-pounder, who has spent all eight of his years with the organization, is in the middle of a hold-in during offseason workouts while he is seeking a new contract. Vea is currently entering the last year of a four-year, $71 million extension that kicked in following the 2022 season.
"I can tell you things have never gotten contentious between Vita Vea and the organization," ESPN's Booger McFarland reported. "Although he does see a lot of people around him, (Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle) Dexter Lawrence included, making a lot more money than he is. I think he just wants a bit of a pay bump."
According to Spotrac, Vea will be the NFL's 17th highest-paid defensive tackle in 2026, but with 256 tackles, 48 for loss, and 35 sacks under his belt, along with his reputation as one of the league's most-feared run defenders, he'd be well worth the extension.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former Washington star earns honorable mention among NFL's top DTs
Continue reading...
