How much is a DT worth? Bucs sign Vita Vea to 4 year $73m deal, $42 m guaranteed

[RobertWeathers]

Vea is a force and you do want to be strong up the middle.

I don't know the breakdown of cap hits, but the thing about this position is players go from stud to dud quicker than any other except maybe RB.

Yes the Patriots paid Vince. Sort of. There was a lot of back/forth and I think it came down to what he meant to the team in others ways, like McCourty.

Not sure what you mean they sort of paid VW. They made him the highest paid DT in the game. Nothing sort of about it. Both sides negotiated and got a deal done

 

[Patsgofor4]

Great player but after Brady retires at some point over the next two years, they are f*cked, with or without him.

Bill would love a guy like Vea but I predict that Barmore will be more impactful overall than Vea as soon as 2022, if he keeps his head on straight and continues to work diligently on his game, like he supposedly has done this year.

 

[Family]

Not sure what you mean they sort of paid VW. They made him the highest paid DT in the game. Nothing sort of about it. Both sides negotiated and got a deal done

It didn't happen fast. There were even words from Vince as I recall, rare for him.

And as I recall Haynesworth was the highest by about twice as much so I didn't understand that PR at the time. Maybe Haynesworth had already been cut, but claiming Vince the highest wasn't completely transparent.

His guarantees were almost Vince's entire deal.

Haynesworth agrees to Redskins' $100M deal

Albert Haynesworth hit the free-agent jackpot Friday morning by reaching a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins that could end up maxing out at $115 million based on his performance, according to sources.

www.espn.com

 

[RobertWeathers]

It didn't happen fast. There were even words from Vince as I recall, rare for him.

And as I recall Haynesworth was the highest by about twice as much so I didn't understand that PR at the time. Maybe Haynesworth had already been cut, but claiming Vince the highest wasn't completely transparent.

His guarantees were almost Vince's entire deal.

Haynesworth agrees to Redskins' $100M deal

Albert Haynesworth hit the free-agent jackpot Friday morning by reaching a seven-year, $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins that could end up maxing out at $115 million based on his performance, according to sources.

www.espn.com

Correction. NE made VW the highest paid NT. Not highest paid DT. Clearly that was Haynesworth.

In terms of how long it took, whatever. Rookie deals were 5-6 years in length back then.

 

[upstater1]

In NE’s defense, most employers move on from employees who are “running around nude out of his mind in public”.

Yes--exactly. That's my point.

He was using the implosion of Jones as proof of why Belichick doesn't value DEs

 

[upstater1]

Jones was "tossed" because he wouldn't talk to the Patriots about a new contract. Heck, he wouldn't do a deal with his new team, the Cardinals, either. They had to apply the Franchise tag, which stayed in place until he signed that huge contract.

The year he got that huge contract, the Patriots had several players needing a new deal. They could never have fit Jones' huge contract onto their cap and been able to have the roster that won 2 more Super Bowls.

Whataboutism goes both ways. During the 4 years after Jones left, the Patriots went 14-2, 13-3, 11-5 and 12-4 with 3 trips to the Super Bowl, winning 2 of them. The Cardinals went 7-8, 8-8, 3-13 & 5-10 and failed to make the playoffs. And remember, the year before they traded for Jones, they were in the NFC championship game after going 13-3. When you complain about that trade, look at the results in the standings and just be happy with those results.

It's simple, the Patriots were a better team without Jones than the Cardinals were with him.

I really think it's the fact that Jones was out of his mind.

 

[upstater1]

Vea is one of those defensive players teams need to game plan for. He is definitely worth top dollar. I would be concerned about his durability long term though. He missed 2/3 of the season last year and, although he only missed one game this season, there were games where he clearly was less than 100% and wasn't the dominant force he usually is. But as long as he can stay healthy, he is one of the best interior linemen in the league.

I am guessing that this contract means that the Bucs are going to let some of their top free agents walk after this season. Even with his torn ACL, Godwin could draw top free agency money from someone. I don't know if the Bucs will franchise him when his availability for the start of the 2022 season is up in the air. Davis' stock has dropped with his injuries this year, but top CBs are so desired in this league that he could command top dollar too. If JPP doesn't opt to retire, he could look to cash in for is likely to be his last contract. He won't get a long term contract, but he could get decent sized money in a two year deal. But you gotta wonder if he will just retire with his age and his recent injury history.

This is why I question the poster who said the Bucs pass rush was due to Vita Vea collapsing the pocket.

Vea didn't even play in the big run to the Super Bowl. He played sparingly in the last game. The Bucs had 5 sacks against Aaron Rodgers in the NFCCG. They got those sacks without Vea.

 

[amfootball]

This is why I question the poster who said the Bucs pass rush was due to Vita Vea collapsing the pocket.

Vea didn't even play in the big run to the Super Bowl. He played sparingly in the last game. The Bucs had 5 sacks against Aaron Rodgers in the NFCCG. They got those sacks without Vea.

Vea played in the Nfccg and SB.

 

[everlong]

Wow. I love him as a player but he's not Aaron Donald and that contract is approaching his money.

 

[everlong]

It isn't that much money considering where the new contracts are coming in due to the adjusted 2022 cap. These are all extensions before players hit FA.

TJ Watt - 28M
Darius Leonard - 20M
Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore - 19.5M (each)
Fred Warner - 19M
Jonathan Allen - 18M (DT like Vea)
Vita Vea - 18M
Jamal Adams - 17.5M

People are going to have to adjust their expectations…free agents this year will set the bar higher than we’re used to. The Patriots likely won’t let JC Jackson hit the market, as he would be over $20M annually.

The franchise tag is expected for corners to be 18-ish. Bill will almost certainly let him play a year on the tag and then move on. I think Jackson is a hell of a player but I don't see Bill paying him Ramsey money on a long term deal.

 

[Rob0729]

Vea played in the Nfccg and SB.

I think he meant that Vea, although played in the NFCCG, he didn't play on the downs where Rodgers was sacked. He only played 46% of the snaps in that game and I think mostly on running downs.

 

[Dingleberry]

This is a joke, right?

Chandler Jones is awesome. I'd rather have Jones 20x over what Hightower has given. Mankins? That was a big mistake.

I mean, Chandler was tossed because he was running around nude out of his mind in public. If not for that, he'd be here.

I'm wondering what you're smoking. You're out of your mind.

I am not sure I disagree with your overall premise. However, the sentence bolded above is problematic.

Hightower has been virtually useless this year, but his value to what really matter (collecting rings) should never be dismissed.

His tackle of Lynch at the goal line prior to the Butler pick. His strip sack of Matt Ryan that made the comeback possible. Two rings are 99% likely gone without those two clutch plays alone. Those two plays alone should grant him legendary status for what he has given this team even if he was an average player otherwise. And he has hardly been average, this season notwithstanding.

 

[amfootball]

The franchise tag is expected for corners to be 18-ish. Bill will almost certainly let him play a year on the tag and then move on. I think Jackson is a hell of a player but I don't see Bill paying him Ramsey money on a long term deal.

$18 mil tag? Very much doubt Bill does that as all that money is guaranteed.

 

[JayNM]

I think this was a good deal for the Bucs

Looking ahead of him in the Salary Chart, there is only Donald, Buckner and Chris Jones.

Personally Id take Vea over Chris Jones. Havent seen enough of Buckner to make judgment, and Donald is on another league. And nowadays, id rather have a prime inside guy and rotational rushers (Which can easily be replicated by other positions too) than a prime DE. For sure

Barmore's licking his chops. I hope this builds his fuel for Sophomore season

 

[JayNM]

It isn't that much money considering where the new contracts are coming in due to the adjusted 2022 cap. These are all extensions before players hit FA.

TJ Watt - 28M
Darius Leonard - 20M
Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore - 19.5M (each)
Fred Warner - 19M
Jonathan Allen - 18M (DT like Vea)
Vita Vea - 18M
Jamal Adams - 17.5M

People are going to have to adjust their expectations…free agents this year will set the bar higher than we’re used to. The Patriots likely won’t let JC Jackson hit the market, as he would be over $20M annually.

Great post

We are due to a MASSIVE upscale in salaries. For many, truly many reasons.

This year is going to be absolute massive for building our roster. I truly think 2023 is going to be insane. Lots of contract-heavy top guys, discrepancies in the market, are due to a decrease and rising stars will get to experience their first contract after the "covid-recession".

I fully expect 10M contracts to become the norm for even suboptimal players in every position. The WR market is one to watch this offseason, as pretty much everyone who got 10M plus underperformed. Will the market reajust?

 

[RobertWeathers]

$18 mil tag? Very much doubt Bill does that as all that money is guaranteed.

I think he will. Hes gonna have a Super Bowl contender next year and won't without JC.

 

[Shed83]

Vea pushes the pocket with some frequency. And his 4 sacks this season are more than Wilfork ever achieved in one campaign. He has 11.5 sacks in 4 years. Wilfork, in his entire 13 year career, totaled 16.

Aye but can he cause a butt fumble?

 

[UrbanCowboy]

My two cents is that he was the key to the Bucs Super Bowl run. When he came back from injury, their defense jelled, and it was [largely] the defense that won them the Super Bowl. What's strange this year is how awful their defense has been. Injuries have been killing them.

 

[everlong]

$18 mil tag? Very much doubt Bill does that as all that money is guaranteed.

It's still only 1 year and they don't have a replacement. I'd expect a draft pick or two to come in and learn the system next year before they move on.

 

[1960Pats]

Not sure what you mean they sort of paid VW. They made him the highest paid DT in the game. Nothing sort of about it. Both sides negotiated and got a deal done

Big Vince was worth the price of admission for sure. What a great player he was for the Pats. Didn't he play QB or RB in HS?

Back in the day one of our sons went to college in Indiana during Dynasty 1 and used to walk around campus in his Wilfork jersey. He'd sometimes get negative comments from others but they'd stop when he got closer.