The Las Vegas Raiders are switching to a 3-4 defense in 2026, which puts them in need of a nose tackle. They have brought in three players to help out in that area, adding Benito Jones and drafting Brandon Cleveland, as well as Gary Smith II as an undrafted free agent.
Since the departure of mainstay Jonathan Hankins, the Silver and Black have been missing that pure run stuffer in the middle. However, news recently broke that Vita Vea has demanded a trade, with contract talks with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
at a stalemate. He wants to join the Raiders, according to Ted Nguyen of The Athletic, and would be a great option for the team.
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts, we ask Raider Nation if they should trade for Vita Vea. The results are in, and Raiders fans are almost split on the decision. Only 54% of Raiders fans believe they should trade for Vita Vea.
Most Raiders fans are realistic about the season, and they see this as the beginning of a rebuild. A trade for Vita Vea is a win-now move that might not fit what the football team is supposed to accomplish right now. While it would upgrade the roster, giving up draft picks might be too steep a price.
