Buccaneers DT Vita Vea Suffers MCL Sprain

The Buccaneers ruled out DT Vita Vea due to a knee injury during their Week 2 matchup on Sunday.

Ian Rapoport reports that the initial diagnosis is that Vea is an MCL sprain. There is an MRI scheduled for Monday to confirm the diagnosis, but Rapoport says the hope is this won’t be an extended absence. 

Vea, 29, is a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2018. The Buccaneers picked up Vea’s fifth-year option which will cost them $7.638 million fully guaranteed for the 2022 season.

He later signed a four-year, $73 million extension with Tampa Bay. The team cleared approximately $9 million by converting a large portion of Vea’s $12.5 million base salary for 2023 into a bonus.

In 2024, Vea has appeared in two games for the Buccaneers and recorded three tackles.

We will have more on Vea as it becomes available.