The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suddenly have another contract storyline brewing, and this one involves the heart of their defense.

Per Mike Garafolo, defensive tackle Vita Vea has been present for mandatory minicamp but has not participated in drills due to a contract-related situation as he enters the final year of his current deal. He also wasn’t around for OTAs.

The timing just feels a little, off.

Just months after the organization watched franchise icon Mike Evans walk away in free agency, the team is still navigating an ongoing contract situation with quarterback Baker Mayfield. Now, Vita Vea’s future has become...

Buccaneers fans are feeling pretty good about where things stand after OTAs, and the latest SB Nation Reacts poll shows a tad bit more than half the fanbase share in that excitement.

A solid 56% of fans say they’re excited about the team heading into the summer, while 44% remain cautious as Tampa Bay continues its preparation for the 2026 season.

It’s easy to see why optimism is building. Quarterback Baker Mayfield looked sharp running the offense, showing the confidence and command that helped make the Bucs contenders last year. 2025 first-round pick Emeka Egbuka continues to turn heads, including...

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has not spoken about his current contract situation. He has no obligation to do so nor does he have to. He can leave that up to the team and his representation to figure out and not say a word.

But that changed a bit Friday.

Speaking to the media at the AdventHealth Training Center for his youth football camp, Mayfield was asked of the state of his contract talks to which he said they are ‘not anywhere close’ to where he was thinking they’d be.

“Not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” Mayfield said. “Would...

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still without one of their most dynamic offensive weapons and he may not see the practice fields until later this summer. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, running back Bucky Irving is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready for training camp. While Irving is not expected to participate in the team’s upcoming minicamp, the belief is that he will return at some point during camp practices and be available ahead of the 2026 season.

Irving’s health will be one of the biggest storylines to watch this summer. The former Oregon standout...

If there was any doubt that Emeka Egbuka is ready to become one of the focal points of Tampa Bay’s offense, he may have just erased it with a single catch.

The Buccaneers released footage from OTA practice this week showing Egbuka hauling in an outrageous one-handed grab that immediately brought back memories of some of the NFL’s most iconic catches. The play had teammates and media buzzing, and it’s easy to see why. Egbuka made the difficult look effortless while reminding everyone why Tampa Bay invested a first-round pick in the former Ohio State star.

Wowzers.

The second-year receiver...