Vea didn’t play in the preseason opener Friday and has engaged in a hold-in since the start of training camp. The Pro Bowl nose tackle reportedly hopes to join a California team or the Las Vegas Raiders, which places the 49ers as a preferred destination for Vea.

Rumors surrounding a trade reached their peak when Vea’s agent, Collin Roberts, said the contract saga between his client and the Buccaneers would almost certainly result in a departure.

“I just don’t see it ending in anything but a trade at this point,” Roberts told the Tampa Bay Times earlier this month.

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General manager Jason Licht quickly followed those remarks by issuing a response of his own.

“I have no plans on trading Vita,” Licht said.

The 49ers would certainly benefit with the addition of Vea, who would immediately bolster the team’s pass rush. Last season, 49ers interior defensive lineman generated 45 combined pressures. Vea recorded 44 pressures alone in 2025.

Moreover, for a team that notoriously deals with injury issues, Vea’s durability is likely an enticing factor for the 49ers to strike a trade with Tampa.

All in all, it’s now been confirmed the 49ers are in the mix for Vea. But the Buccaneers will have to budge if San Francisco wants to add the two-time Pro Bowler to the roster.