Hold-in Bad back continues.
The Bucs enjoy giving fans riddles to solve.
The Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson pushes the theory that if something doesn’t make sense on the surface, one must look at actions to determine the reasoning.
And for Joe, Vita Vea not at least getting a raise of some sort for the 2026 season doesn’t make sense. On the surface.
Generally, the Bucs are generous with Team Glazer’s loot for who the team deems its best players, if not most valuable players.
Antoine Winfield, when he signed his contract, was the highest-paid safety in the league.
Tristan Wirfs was richly rewarded as well.
One could also make the case, a year removed, Zyon McCollum was mistakenly rewarded.
Joe could go on.
Now for those who listened to the “JoeBucsFan.com Hour” on WDAE-AM 620/WDAE-FM 95.7 Saturday afternoon, Joe threw out the possibility — strictly and absolutely speculation— that perhaps the Bucs haven’t reworked Vea’s contract is that, just maybe, Vea didn’t have stellar grades based on 2025 Bucs’ internal data and either the Bucs want Vea to prove that was a temporary blip, or they didn’t plan to bring Vea back after the 2026 season, in part, because that leaves a few extra shekels laying around to pay Baker Mayfield.
On face value, Vea is terribly underpaid for his position and status in the league. And Tristan Wirfs retweeted Vea’s retweet from Mike Garafolo of NFL Network that top defensive tackles are making much more than Vea.
The veteran Bucs tackle/nose guard has not practiced this summer because of a sore checkbook back. He apparently has his heels dug in, as does Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
It seems doubtful a team will agree to a Vea trade unless his contract hassle is first resolved (unless Vea tells a suitor that he will play for $18 million).
The whole point of this drama is for more money, no? Why would Vea play under his current deal with the Bills or the 49ers or Bears, yet he wouldn’t for the same price with the Bucs?
(Anyone see what state taxes are in New York, Illinois or California? Surely Ndamukong Suh does.)
As Joe stated above, it sure smells like there is something preventing Licht from unlocking the Team Glazer vault for Vea. Currently, there are only a handful of people who truly know.