Easton Butler of Packer Report posted Thursday morning that the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals have called the Tampa Bay Buccaneers about defensive tackle Vita Vea, citing unnamed sources.
Green Bay lost Javon Hargrave on Oct. 11, when the veteran defensive tackle tore his Achilles late in a 31-7 win over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Hargrave had signed with the Packers in March after the Minnesota Vikings released him.
His injury came one week after linebacker Edgerrin Cooper suffered a season-ending Achilles tear. The Packers placed Hargrave and defensive tackle Jonathan Ford on injured reserve Oct. 17.
Green Bay is 4-3 after Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Vea has already been through one trade standoff this year.
Vea, 31, requested a trade July 27 after extension talks with Tampa Bay stalled. The standoff ended in August with a one-year, $30 million extension through the 2027 season.
He received a $21.7 million signing bonus. His $23 million base salary for 2027 is fully guaranteed.
In 2018, Tampa Bay took Vea out of Washington with the 12th overall pick. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2024.
He came off injured reserve to play the Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau on Jan. 24, 2021. Tampa Bay won Super Bowl LV two weeks later.
The Packers saw him again Oct. 4 and won 17-14 at Raymond James Stadium. That loss dropped the Buccaneers to 0-4, and a 26-19 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 18 left them 1-5.
Cincinnati has seen Vea this season, too, beating Tampa Bay 33-27 in Week 1. The Bengals already added one veteran defensive tackle in April, trading the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence.
Vea said Aug. 20 that he wanted “to be a Buc for life.”
The Carolina Panthers visit Lambeau for Thursday Night Football. Kickoff is 7:15 p.m. CT.
The Packers play at the New England Patriots on Nov. 8, two days before the trade deadline.
Be the first to comment