As the statement between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and star defensive tackle Vita Vea rages on, the time is coming for the Bucs to decide how to resolve it.

Do they give in and offer Vea a lucrative contract extension? Should they give in and trade Vea to a team that will? With the regular season right around the corner, Tampa doesn't have many other options to handle the situation.

That doesn't mean they have zero other options.

After watching other star defensive tackles like Jeffery Simmons, Dexter Lawrence, and Jalen Carter reset the market for DTs, Vea wants in on the action. Simmons received a three-year deal worth over $35 million annually. Lawrence was traded for the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His new team, the Cincinnati Bengals, added another year to his contract, worth $28 million. Then Carter topped Simmons' new deal, inking a year-year, $152 million extension with the Philadelphia Eagles.

It's easy to see why Vea feels like he deserves a significant raise from the $17 million salary he is to be paid this season. His contract currently ranks only 19th among DTs. Vea is still playing at a high level and is usually considered one of the 10 best DTs in the league.

The Bucs have been hesitant to commit big dollars to Vea long-term because he is already 31 and has significant wear and tear on his body. Once he begins to decline, it could happen quickly. Simmons, on the other hand, is 29, while Lawrence is 28, and Carter is only 25.

Without a new deal, Vea requested a trade, which Tampa general manager Jason Licht insists will not happen. However, Vea's agent says he doesn't see the standoff ending in anything but a trade.

Vea is dug in on his position that he will not play for the Bucs under his current deal. The team appears equally committed to its own stance.

Something has to give.

Luckily, there is an obvious solution where Vea can get some extra money without the Bucs shelling out huge money to a player as he approaches his mid-30s.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport believes that Tampa should give Vea a decent bump on his 2026 salary. That way, Vea can be paid more in line with his standing among DTs, and the Bucs don't have to worry about a long-term contract that may quickly turn regrettable. Rapoport believes it is a way to make sides happy.

"There is a middle ground there. We've seen this over the last couple years. Teams will sweeten the pot a little bit for the player...Guarantee some money. You can add money...You can do things contractually to make a disgruntled player 'properly gruntled.'"

For lack of a better word...duh. Giving Vea a decent raise for 2026 was always the best solution. I have been beating that drum since Vea's "hold-in" during mandatory minicamp in June.

It is a tactic we've seen end contract disputes many times around the league recently. The Pittsburgh Steelers did the same thing with their own star DT, Cam Heyward, just before the start of last season. Heyward was much older than Vea is now. He was 36 at the time. The same can be done in this situation, hopefully bringing it to a peaceful end.

Vea gets a bump in pay for the upcoming season, with an opportunity to hit free agency in a year, when he will have no shortage of suitors if he has another strong campaign.

The Bucs can retain one of their most vital players for a season filled with pressure to succeed. They won't have to worry about a potential albatross contract as Vea ages.

Simple solution to a simple problem. Get it done.

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