Vita Vea not a Seahawks fit, but what about for their rivals?

Former UW Huskies star and two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea has requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after discussions on a contract extension have stalled, ESPN reported on Monday.

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Vea, 31, is entering the final season of a four-year, $71 million contract and is set to earn $18 million in 2026. In his eighth NFL season last year, the 6-foot-4, 347-pound former first-round draft pick had 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss and tied for 18th out of 127 interior defensive linemen in Pro Football Focus grading.

Could Vea’s trade request have any NFC West implications? Here’s a look.

Why Seahawks aren’t a likely fit

Given his age and price tag, Vea likely wouldn’t make much sense for the Seahawks.

For one, Seattle already has arguably the NFL’s best interior defensive line. Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II combined for more sacks (14.0) and quarterback pressures (108) than any other defensive tackle duo last season, Jarran Reed continues to provide a steady run-stuffing presence at nose tackle, and 2026 breakout candidate Rylie Mills has the potential to vault the unit to even greater heights this fall.

And while the Seahawks’ salary cap is in a good spot – they have the 12th-most cap space at $25.5 million, according to Over The Cap – the team has a number of massive potential deals on the horizon. Devon Witherspoon could become the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback by the end of training camp, Williams has confirmed talks of a potential new contract, and both Murphy and quarterback Sam Darnold could be due big-money extensions next offseason.

The Seahawks’ priority in the coming years will be to keep their talented, young core intact. And as dominant as Vea was in his prime, he’s now on the other side of his 30s.

What about the 49ers or Rams?

ESPN listed the San Francisco 49ers as one of five potential landing spots for Vea. The 49ers would be a homecoming for Vea, a Bay Area native who grew up not far from where Levi’s Stadium currently sits. And the 49ers could certainly use another proven pass rusher. They finished with an NFL-low 20 sacks last season and their top two edge rushers – Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams – are both coming off injuries.

The Los Angeles Rams could be another suitor, as CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns wrote. The Rams are currently waiting on a decision from 10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who is considering coming out of retirement to join a Los Angeles team with Super Bowl aspirations. But if Donald doesn’t end up returning, Vea might make sense instead, given the Rams’ clear win-now mentality as they go all-in on 2026.

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