Bucs GM says 'no plans' for Vita Vea trade, Baker Mayfield still franchise QB - ESPN

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have «no plans» to trade Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea and still view Baker Mayfield as a franchise quarterback, according to general manager Jason Licht.

«I have no plans on trading Vita,» Licht said Thursday when asked about the training camp hold-in of Vea, whose agent Collin Roberts told the Tampa Bay Times this week that he «doesn't see it ending in anything but a trade.»

«We love Vita,» Licht added. «We've been engaged with his agent recently. I don't know how it's gonna end, but we've been engaged and that's at least some progress.»

Vea has been present at the Bucs facility, taking part in classroom instruction and observing practice from the sidelines. He has also been seen helping coach teammates up during positional drills, but he isn't physically participating.

Vea also is resting a tweaked back that he injured during the team's conditioning test July 28. When asked if he expects Vea to play this season, Licht said: «That's what the hope is, and that's what we're trying to resolve right now.»

Licht said teams have inquired about Vea, but he emphasized that those talks aren't outside the norm for this time of year, as they often field inquiries and make their own inquiries with other teams in hopes of strengthening their rosters. He said he does feel the relationship is salvageable and that Vea could play in Tampa beyond 2026.

As for Mayfield, Licht declined to state the reasons why the Bucs only offered a two-year deal, a source of discontent for the former first overall draft pick who helped Tampa Bay to NFC South titles in 2023 and 2024.

«I'm not going to get into specifics about the contract and all that stuff, but yeah — we do think he is [a franchise quarterback],»