The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved on from veteran pass rusher Shaq Barrett this offseason, saving some salary cap space and opening up opportunities for younger players to get more reps at outside linebacker in 2024.
Barrett signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins after being let go by the Bucs, and it’s clear he’s got a chip on his shoulder after Tampa Bay decided to release him.
“A lot to prove,” Barrett said this week (via Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post). “Especially getting cut from another team like that, adds another whole fuel to the fire right there. And I’m like, Dolphins gonna’ be happy they signed me. Tampa gonna’ be mad they let me go.”
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Barrett was a cheap signing on a one-year deal by the Bucs back in 2019, and he responded by leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks, getting the franchise tag and eventually a long-term contract extension from Tampa Bay. He was a key piece of the Bucs’ championship team in 2020, including a dominant performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
After a torn Achilles ended his 2022 season prematurely, Barrett simply wasn’t the same player last season. Set to turn 32 years old this season, the Bucs obviously wanted to go with younger, cheaper options at the position.
That being the case, Barrett is clearly hoping to make Tampa Bay regret that decision with a bounce-back campaign in Miami this year.
