What a Detroit Lions trade for Buccaneers All-Pro Vita Vea would really look like, and is it possible?
The Detroit Lions could be one of the teams connected to Vita Vea in some way after his trade request, but there are some really big hurdles to clear.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro defensive tackle Vita Vea has requested a trade after failing to reach terms on a new extension with the team, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Detroit Lions fans are already asking the question, and for good reason. The interior defensive line is the one area where the Lions could still improve. But as appealing as Vea sounds on paper, a trade to Detroit just doesn’t make financial or philosophical sense.
Can the Lions even afford Vita Vea?
The short answer is: yes and no. If the Lions traded for Vea, they would take on roughly $18 million. That alone would require releasing somebody to clear cap space. And here’s the thing. Vea doesn’t want to be a one-year rental. That’s the whole reason he’s requesting a trade. He wants a new contract.
So if Detroit brought him in, the Lions would almost immediately need to extend him. That creates a massive problem because the Lions are already in the middle of trying to extend running back Jahmyr Gibbs, safety Brian Branch, and tight end Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is cleared and coming back, so the Lions are ready to pay him. Gibbs could get done any day now, and he’ll likely become the highest-paid running back in the NFL. Branch might get pushed down the road a bit, but the Lions still want to get that done too.
All of that gets in the way of paying Vea what he wants.
What would a Vea deal even look like?
Vea wants to be paid like one of the NFL’s premier interior defensive linemen, which he is. Look at what the market looks like right now. Jeffrey Simmons just signed a 3-year, $105.8 million deal as the position’s market leader, but Simmons has the advantage of being about four years younger than Vea. Chris Jones sits at roughly $31.75 million per year. Elite interior defenders are making between $28 million and $35 million annually, while good veteran starters land in the $20 million to $25 million range.
A realistic deal for Vea is probably something like 2 years, $54 million ($27 million per year) with around $40 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus. That is a lot of money for a player who is already 31 years old.
What about swapping Alim McNeill for Vea?
I get why that idea sounds appealing. Vea is one of the best defensive tackles in football, and if you’re trying to win a Super Bowl, it’s easy to convince yourself that he’s an upgrade worth chasing. But from Detroit’s perspective, it still doesn’t make much sense.
You’re talking about giving up McNeill, who is younger and already under contract, plus probably a draft pick, for a player entering the final year of his deal who will almost certainly want a new contract worth around $25 million per season. You’re paying extra draft capital to make the swap, and then you’re signing up to give a 31-year-old defensive tackle a massive extension almost immediately. You’re giving up a player who’s cheaper and younger for a guy who’s older and more expensive, with no guarantee of how much time he has left at an elite level.
It would be nothing more than a dopamine hit. A cool thing the Lions did on paper that doesn’t actually move the needle the way it needs to.
The Lions have their own plan
Trading McNeill and a pick for Vea would be a sharp departure from the Lions’ normal philosophy. Detroit also just drafted Tyliek Williams in the first round of last year’s draft. The jury is still out on Williams, but nobody is leaning toward him not being good. He dropped a bunch of weight to become a better pass rusher, and having McNeill back healthy makes the current group viable.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news to Lions fans. I know they want something big. But this is just another one that’s not going to happen, and not because the Lions don’t want it to. I’m sure they would love to have Vea. It just doesn’t make sense financially, and it doesn’t make sense philosophically. Vea will probably wind up somewhere else. And if you’re worried about him landing in Chicago, don’t worry. The Bears are in a worse financial situation than the Lions are.
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