TAMPA, Fla. — Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea isn't going anywhere after the team picked up the fifth-year option on him.
NFL teams typically have until May 3 to exercise the option on players who were selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft -- like Vea.
By picking up the option the Bucs keep Vea, who missed most of the 2020 season due to a broken leg, through 2022.
But it will cost them. Locking down Vea for an additional season comes with the price tag of $7.6 million, according to Spotrac and ESPN.
10 Sports reporter Grace Remington reports that earlier this month General Manager Jason Licht said it was "safe to say" the team would pick up the option.
In the defensive tackles first three seasons with the team he started 29 out of 34 regular-season games and recorded an impressive 73 tackles, 19 quarterback hits, and 7.5 sacks.
Vea made a surprising recovery after being placed on the Injured Reserved list for the Bucs only five games into the 2020 season and was able to take part in the team's historic Super Bowl LV win.
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