Bucs & Vita Vea Agree To Extension, What It Means for Baker Mayfield and Rays Survive Blue Jays 7-6

Rick Stroud and Steve Versnick break down the Vita Vea saga finally reaching a resolution — a reworked deal that tacks on $30 million in new money, bumping this year to $24 million and adding a 2027 season at the same number, for $48 million total over two years. They dig into why this was always the likely outcome despite the trade rumblings, what it means for a front seven that could now be one of the league's best, and the obvious next question: does this open the door for a Baker Mayfield extension? Rick shares new detail from his conversation with Mayfield on why the QB set his own negotiation deadline, and breaks down where the Bucs and Baker's camp are still apart on years and guarantees. Plus, an odd wrinkle in training camp: undrafted rookie Jack Pryburn, who had two sacks in the preseason opener, now has the option to return to college for another year of eligibility under a new court ruling — Rick and Steve weigh whether an NFL practice squad spot beats a shot at boosting his draft stock back in school.

On the Rays, Tampa Bay held off a late Toronto push for a 7-6 win, with Yandy Diaz going deep again and Bryan Baker working through his own hot streak in the ninth — even as the pitching staff keeps taking its lumps in the late-August grind. And with hockey on the mind, Steve notes the Lightning's first preseason game is exactly a month away, kicking off a discussion of roster questions up and down the lineup heading into training camp.

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