When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers found themselves with their backs against the wall in 2024, it meant they were 4-6 and on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs. It also meant they were missing multiple NFL All-Pro players — on both sides of the ball — due to injuries.
On offense, a stronghold of players like quarterback Baker Mayfield and offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs managed to hold the line.
On defense, that job fell to a group led by nose tackle Vita Vea, who stepped up and played some of the best football of his career as the Buccaneers finished with a 10-7 record and made the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
Vea was rewarded with the second Pro Bowl selection of his career and is now on the verge of making franchise history. Headed into 2025, Vea has 30.5 career sacks and is just 2.5 sacks away from entering the Top 10 career sacks leaders for the Buccaneers.
Lee Roy Selmon, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1976 NFL draft, is Tampa Bay’s career leader with 78.5 sacks from 1976 to 1984.
“The Buccaneers’ defense centers around imposing nose tackle Vita Vea,” Buccaneers.com’s Brianna Dix wrote on March 26. “The two-time Pro Bowl veteran wreaks havoc in the trenches, whether clogging holes or penetrating the backfield. He amassed 39 tackles (nine for loss), 7.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and one pass defensed in 15 games played in 2024.”
Vita Vea executing a Tex Stunt to Perfection🎥
Vea Reaped Benefits From Offseason Dedication
If there were signs Vea was headed toward another career year in 2024, one of them definitely had to be the fact he showed up to offseason training looking noticeably slimmer.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and approximately 350 pounds since he was drafted No. 12 overall in the 2018 NFL draft, Vea dropped around 20 pounds.
“(Vea) is having a great offseason,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles told Bucs Nation in April 2024. “We look for him to come back stronger and faster and quicker … We’ve talked about it for a long time. He’s finally taking it to heart … He’s really making the strides and the changes necessary.”
Having such a great year in 2024 also meant Vea will now likely see every cent of the 4-year, $71 million contract extension he signed in March 2022. Vea’s contract included $33.9 million in guaranteed money — all of which had been paid through 2024. The Buccaneers had an out headed into 2025 that would have saved them approximately $17.9 million in salary cap space over the next 2 seasons.
Now, the Buccaneers don’t have to think twice about paying Vea what he’s owed, and he’ll have $94.1 million in career earnings once his current contract ends following the 2026 season.
Bucs’ Dynamic DL Duo Could Keep Ascending
One of the most exciting prospects of the 2025 season is getting to see Vea team up with 2023 first round draft pick and fellow interior defensive lineman Calijah Kancey for another season.
As great as Vea was in 2024, Kancey was equal to the task and led the Buccaneers with 7.5 sacks — impressive considering the Buccaneers had no real presence on the outside pass rush. That should change in 2025 after Tampa Bay signed NFL All-Pro edge rusher Haason Reddick to a 1-year, $14 million contract and added Central Arkansas edge rusher David Walker in the fourth round (No. 128 overall) of the 2025 draft.
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