The Las Vegas Raiders have been connected to a potential trade for Tampa Bay Buccaneers star defensive star Vita Vea. He reportedly wants to be traded in a contract dispute and he reportedly would be interested in being dealt to the Raiders.
Here are some pros and cons of the Raiders trading for him:
PROS
He would make the better:
He is still an high-level player at his position. He’d be a top five Raider. The more better players you can stack on your roster, the better. Putting Vea and Maxx Crosby on the same
defensive line would be a major difference maker.
He wants to be there:
Vita reportedly wants to be dealt to one of the California teams or the Raiders since he is from Northern California. Anytime a player of Vea’s caliber has interest in your team, it is worth exploring to see if it makes sense It’s good advertising for the rest of the league.
He’s a familiar fit:
Vea was in Tampa Bay with now Las Vegas general manager John Spytek and Raiders’ part owner Tom Brady where they all won a Super Bowl together. In addition to knowing Vea, he is also a on-field fit for the Raiders. He’s be a great addition to the defensive line.
CONS
His age:
Vea is 31. That is getting up there for an interior defensive lineman. With his size and age, injuries can start piling up. So, there may be a time limit on his overall effectiveness.
His cost:
Reportedly, a major reason why Vea wants to leave the Buccaneers, the only team has has played for in his nine-season career, is he wants a contract extension. So, the Raiders may have to give him a new deal that averages around $20 million a season. The have the means, but would investing so much in an aging player prudent? Plus, the Buccaneers will likely want, at eaest, a Day 2 pick for Vea. That may be a lot for a rebuilding team to give.
May not fit direction of rebuild:
The age and draft pick and contract cost all play into this factor. Trading for Vea may make sense for a team that has instant playoff hopes instead of a team in a rebuild. Trading for Vea may be a luxury the Raiders can’t afford.
Conclusion:
It is definitely worth exploring a trade for Vea for Las Vegas. But there are also enough potential hurdles that that has to be considered as well.
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