The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be in the midst of a fierce title defense, but they still found time to secure their future. Ahead of a grueling playoff run, the front office locked up a core asset on their defensive line that will give star quarterback Tom Brady some peace of mind before their games.

Vita Vea, a key member of the Buccaneers' defensive line, agreed to a four-year, $73 million contract extension with Tampa Bay, according to Adam Schefter. The deal also includes $42 million in guaranteed money:

This new contract extension makes Vita Vea the second-highest paid player on the Buccaneers, right behind Tom Brady. Some fans might think that this is an overpay, but watching the games he plays in disproves that narrative rather quickly. He might not have the same numbers as other tackles in the league, but he does a solid job holding the team's defensive line together.

The Buccaneers are looking for back-to-back Super Bowl wins, though it certainly hasn't been easy so far. They clinched the NFC South rather easily, but a season-ending injury for Chris Godwin and the whole Antonio Brown fiasco have threatened to derail this team heading into the playoffs.

Tom Brady's presence will ensure that the Buccaneers‘ offense won't lose a step despite missing two of their top receivers. Still, this team will need to rely on their defense more than ever to lower the load for this depleted offense. Vea's new extension should hopefully motivate this nose tackle to have another stellar playoff performance.