49ers urged to pursue Vita Vea amid trade request

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Vita Vea, has reportedly requested a trade after contract talks stalled, and one NFL analyst believes the San Francisco 49ers should make a strong push to land the veteran.

Much has been made about the Los Angeles Rams strengthening their defense by adding Myles Garrett, and that unit could become even more formidable if Aaron Donald comes out of retirement.

While the 49ers remain confident in their current roster, keeping pace with the Super Bowl-favorite Rams and the defending champion Seattle Seahawks won't be easy. Emmanuel Acho, however, believes acquiring Vea would immediately elevate San Francisco back into the NFC's elite tier.

"If the Niners get Vita Vea, it's time to usher them back into the conversations we've ushered the Rams into, the Seahawks, as reigning champs, into, the Philadelphia Eagles—they always stay in those conversations—because you've got to think about what the Niners are building this offseason," Acho said on the Speakeasy podcast.

Acho went on to praise what he views as one of the NFL's most underrated offseasons.

"And I would suggest the Niners have had quietly maybe the best offseason in all of football," Acho said. "You bring Dre Greenlaw back. I love the Niners linebacking core, greater than any other linebacking core now—Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw. You go get [DT] Osa Odighizuwa. I believe that he is perfectly situated now to start at defensive tackle. [DT] Alfred Collins continuing to ascend. You forgot about [DE] Mykel Williams, first-round pick from last year, because of the injury. [DE] Nick Bosa looks as good as ever."

Vea appeared in all 17 games last season, recording 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, and 4.5 sacks. He posted a career-high seven sacks in 2024, and has 35 sacks over his eight NFL seasons.

Acho believes Vea's arrival would transform the 49ers' defensive line rotation and dramatically improve a run defense that struggled last season.

"Now, if you can get Vita Vea, now think about the depth," Acho continued. "Now you're rotating three defensive tackles. You cannot play a defensive tackle 80 snaps. Only time I've ever seen that: Aaron Donald and Fletcher Cox in his heyday. More often than not, defensive tackles are playing like 65 or so snaps.

"You bring in Vita Vea, plus you have Alfred Collins, plus you have Osa Odighizuwa. I haven't even talked about [DE] Romello Height, who everybody is raving about at the camp. I think if you bring in Vita Vea, now that run defense, which was so porous last year, instantly becomes a strong suit."

Acho acknowledged that the 49ers still have questions in the secondary, particularly at safety. However, he believes adding a dominant interior presence like Vea would create a ripple effect, helping mask some of those concerns by generating more pressure and controlling the line of scrimmage.

"If you get somebody as stout as Vita Vea up front, playing next to Alfred Collins with Osa Odighizuwa rotating in, plus Nick Bosa on the outside, plus you've got Mykel Williams on the outside, plus you got Romello Height—I just think that is an incredible, formidable front in that front seven," Acho concluded.

Vea, 31, is entering the final season of his four-year, $71 million contract and is scheduled to earn $17 million in 2026, none of which is guaranteed.

The veteran defensive tackle was a key member of Tampa Bay's Super Bowl-winning team during the 2020 season.