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    Report: Vita Vea requests trade

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    TB Nose Tackle #50
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    ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Buccaneers NT Vita Vea has requested a trade.

    This comes on the heels of Vea’s absence from minicamp as the two sides were locked in negotiations. The evident impasse ultimately led to the eight-year veteran requesting a trade. Vea has earned two Pro Bowl honors and has been one of the league’s top nose tackle since entering the league for the Buccaneers with the team’s 2018 first-round selection. Losing Vea would be a significant hurdle for the Buccaneer to clear considering so much of what they are able to do defensively revolves around his ability to clog the middle of the defensive line.
Ravens mispriced as last team to remain undefeated
Drew Dinsick tries to make sense of the market for last remaining undefeated team in the regular season, seeing a favorable path for the Baltimore Ravens as the third favorite behind the Chiefs and Rams.

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  • TB Nose Tackle #50
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    Vea also gets a $6 million pay bump for the 2026 NFL season. He was previously set to make $18 million this year, bringing his new salary up to $24 million. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported last week that Vea was seeking an extension, placing him in the top defensive tackle tier, which currently sits around $38 million annually. It looks like the two sides compromised to get a deal done. Vea ranked in the top three on the team in quarterback pressures (51) and sacks (four) last year. Garafolo clarified in a follow-up segment that the $30 million extension includes this season’s pay increase. Vea will play for $24 million in 2027.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Garafolo says that the Buccaneers remain steadfast in their position that Vea is not available. The team has also apparently kept the lines of communication open with Vea regarding a potential new deal, although “a deal is not imminent.” Vea is set to make roughly $18 million in the final year of his contract. Garafolo notes that the top of the defensive tackle market is now around $38 million annually, and Vea believes his production qualifies him for a contract extension in that tier.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Vea was looking for a new contract this offseason and the Bucs have not met his demands. In response, Vea requested a trade and is not currently participating in training camp. The team is calling it a back injury. We’re comfortable assuming it’s a bank issue. Vea can’t realistically hold out during the regular season, meaning he’s going to play football this year, one way or another. Whether that’s in Tampa and on his current contract remains to be seen.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Fowler does acknowledge that Vea’s camp has “pretty heavy” trade interest and also notes that Vea has felt his contract has been outdated “for a long time.” Fowler adds that in his opinion it doesn’t seem like the Bucs really tried to reach an extension with Vea, at least as compared to how they acted with Baker Mayfield. It’s hard to make a trade with a team that doesn’t want to make a trade, so we’ll see how this unfolds but it’s far from certain that the Bucs will actually make good on Vea’s trade request.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Vea this week requested a trade after contract talks with the Tampa front office stalled. That he’s now sidelined with a back injury could be another way of Vea “holding in” until he gets a new deal from the Bucs or the team works out a trade for the star nose tackle. Vea, who has earned two Pro Bowl honors and has been one of the league’s top nose tackle since entering the league in 2018, could fit with any number of contending teams if the Bucs are willing to trade him for draft capital.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Vea is due $17 million in the final year of his four-year contract, considerably lower than other top defensive big men around the league. It’s a situation to monitor as the season draws near, with the veteran nose tackle clearly looking for a new deal. Whether the saga carries into camp and the preseason remains to be seen, but it is possible Vea wants to put pen to paper before retaking the field.
  • TB Running Back #7
    The Buccaneers are without three of their top players this week. While Irving and Godwin continue to miss games, long-time No. 1 WR Mike Evans (collarbone/concussion) was recently placed on injured reserve. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka will continue to operate as a fantasy WR1, while fellow rookie WR Tez Johnson can be started as a high-upside WR3/FLEX. Reddick’s absence is a plus for the Saints’ offense. His 27 quarterback pressures lead all Buccaneers defenders by three. Fortunately, DT Vita Vea (foot) is active.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    He DNPed each of the final two practices of the week after not being listed on the report on Wednesday. It’s not great news for the Buccaneers that he didn’t find a limited status today, and we’d probably subjectively put him on the pessimistic side of questionable. Alvin Kamara could have a much easier task in Week 8 if Vea is ruled out.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    Vea has been a stalwart defender throughout his career and is a big reason for the teams continued successes against the run, making his likely presence when the Buccaneers take the field in Week 1 against the Falcons a significant boost to their defense. It seems a full practice Friday was enough for coaches to confidently start Vea to begin the season.
  • TB Nose Tackle #50
    He did get in a full practice on Friday, which would seem to put him in position to play after missing Wednesday and Thursday with the foot designation. Vea remains a load on the interior and, should he not play, his absence would be great news for Bijan Robinson in Week 1.

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    Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Jacory Croskey-Merritt has a “lower body” injury.

    We reported that Croskey-Merritt was limited in Monday’s practice yesterday but didn’t have a specific injury. Now we have a vague injury area. By Wednesday, we may even know which leg it’s on. We’re not overly concerned about Croskey-Merritt’s Week 1 prospects just yet — he did participate a little in yesterday’s practice — but it’s something to monitor ahead of the opening slate.
  • BUF Running Back #26
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    Bills coach Joe Brady said Ty Johnson (leg) has resumed running.

    No decision has been made about Johnson’s availability for Week 1, per Brady. His absence would probably make James Cook a top-half RB1 due to added PPR potential. The Bills have been downright quiet about injuries this offseason and Johnson has been no exception.
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    Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker (foot) is not participating in practice on Tuesday.

    This probably isn’t a major cause for concern — if you’ve ever drafted Kenneth Walker before, you know he misses plenty of practice time — the Chiefs are likely just taking it easy on the man expected to be their bellcow back this season. But the more practice he misses, the more serious we’ll take it. Stay tuned.
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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes Tua Tagovailoa’s play has made the plan to make him the starter at the beginning of the season “impossible.”

    Rarely do you see a national reporter talk about a quarterback in these kinds of black-and-white terms as far as how well they’re playing, so it’s an alarming sign for Tagovailoa’s fantasy value. “Not just in the preseason game, but it sounds like practice as well,” Rapoport says while adding that this is “Michael Penix’s job for the taking.” Superflex fantasy managers wishing to speculate on the Falcons quarterback job would probably be best served pivoting to Penix at the moment.
  • FA Running Back #29
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    Free agent RB Kareem Hunt visited the Lions on Tuesday.

    What does Isiah Pacheco have to do to get rid of this guy? Stay healthy and actually produce? Pacheco and Sione Vaki currently qualify as the backups for Jahmyr Gibbs. Hunt would probably at least push Pacheco for the RB2 role if signed.
  • ARI Offensive Lineman #72
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    Cardinals signed C Hjalte Froholdt to a two-year, $20 million contract extension.

    A nice scrapheap find by the Cardinals, Froholdt bounced around the NFL playing 14 games for the Patriots and Browns in 2020 and 2021 before becoming a full-time starter in Arizona in 2023. He’s started every game since. This isn’t exactly a contract extension that sets a market — no agent bragging is coming here — but it’s a reasonable decision for a player who has bounced around the league and hasn’t had a major contract yet entering his age-30 season.
  • JAC Wide Receiver #7
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    Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said he thinks Brian Thomas is “alright” after an injury scare in Tuesday’s practice.

    Coen, per Sports Illustrated’s John Shipley, “indicated they willplay it safe with BTJ,” meaning the team could be without Thomas and Jakobi Meyers (hand) for tomorrow’s joint practice. The Jags have dealt with a string of wideout injuries over the past couple weeks, including Parker Washington dealing with an undisclosed injury. If Thomas is 100 percent healthy for Week 1 against the Browns, he should profile as a high-variance WR3 option in 12-team formats.
  • IND Running Back #21
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    Colts RB DJ Giddens (hamstring) returned to practice Tuesday.

    Giddens has been sidelined for weeks with a severe hamstring injury. His return comes a few weeks ahead of the Colts’ regular season opener against the Ravens. Giddens as a rookie in 2025 had 96 yards on 26 carries, appearing in nine games for the Colts. He’ll battle Seth McGowan for RB2 duties this season behind Jonathan Taylor.
  • IND Wide Receiver #14
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    Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Alec Pierce (ankle) is expected to return to practice this week.

    Pierce, who’s been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in the spring following the signing of his contract extension with the Colts, will practice this week barring any setbacks, Steichen said. It’s good news for Pierce’s Week 1 availability after the team’s de facto WR1 missed training camp while recovering from the ankle issue. Pierce is expected to see more intermediate targets this season after operating strictly as a field stretcher over the past few seasons. Piece in 2025 led the league in air yards per game; his 44 percent air yards share ranked fourth among receivers. Pierce profiles as a somewhat sneaky fantasy selection after his ADP has steadily sunk over the past month.
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    Jets cut K Cade York.

    That leaves former Dolphins K Jason Sanders as the only kicker on the New York roster. Sanders and York competed for the starting gig throughout training camp, with both struggling at times. York missed his only preseason field goal try while Sanders has made both of his preseason attempts. Sanders would appear to be the team’s Week 1 starter, though the Jets could bring in more competition if Sanders — who missed 2025 with a hip injury — proves unreliable.