Ranked high as trade bait.
In a little over two weeks, the trade deadline will arrive. By that time we should know if the Bucs have a snowball’s chance of getting back in the playoff race or if the Bucs are fully involved in the dash for the No. 1 overall pick.
We haven’t had that sort of fun and excitement since 2013.
(Joe read a comment on this here site that if the Bucs are 1-8 at the bye, “heads must roll.” Why on earth would a team do that? At 1-8, that’s when you keep incompetence! Why would you screw up an excellent draft pick by accidentally bumping into someone competent? That’s what mid-January is for.)
There are several Bucs players that could be attractive to a contending team. It seems the most popular, at least the guy getting the most chatter, is Bucs defensive tackle Vita Vea.
Add Daniel Popper to the list of folks who think Vea is coveted by playoff-bound teams. Typing for The Athletic, Popper had a list of players ranked as top trade candidates.
At [No. 6 is Vea](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7664102/2026/10/22/nfl-trade-deadline-board-players-available/).
> Vea requested a trade from the Bucs in July. In August, the two sides agreed on a one-year, $30 million extension that got Vea back on the field for the start of the regular season. The Bucs, though, have struggled. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has missed time with a thumb injury. The offense, with and without Mayfield, has been a limiting factor. Time could be running out for coach Todd Bowles. Vea is a very powerful interior player who demands attention as a run defender and pass rusher. He is due $23 million guaranteed in 2027, so an acquiring team would be looking at a future commitment. The Bucs, meanwhile, would take on $19.6 million in dead money in 2027.
Dead money stinks, but a nice draft pick is much better. Perhaps the Bucs could get a mid-round pick for Vea.
Here are some of the players that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has landed with mid-round picks recently: Ted Hurst, Keionte Scott, Jacob Parrish, David Walker, Tykee Smith, Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving.
It’s unlikely Vea will be around after next season. So why not get a decent, young player in return (draft pick) rather than letting him walk for nothing in a year?