Over the years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their share of big names and playmakers join the team in free agency. Arguably, the best free agent pickup over the years has been defensive end, Simeon Rice.
Rice joined the Buccaneers in 2001 following a five-year run with the Arizona Cardinals where he totaled 51.5 sacks, 220 tackles, 9 forced fumbles and one interception. Needless to say, he was a huge addition to a Bucs team that was already building a very scary defensive unit.
This year, Shaquil Barrett — who signed a one-year, $5 million deal in the offseason — is having a historic season for the Bucs. But how does that compare to Rice’s first season with the team?
In 18 years, of course the game has changed, and this isn’t comparing the players against each other, it’s pitting their free agency signings to see if Rice will be removed from his throne as the best in the organization’s history based on first year production alone.
Now, when Rice and Barrett signed their contracts, they were both joining very different teams. Just a year prior in 2000, the Bucs finished 10-6 and had the eighth ranked defense — whereas in 2018 the Bucs were a 5-11 team with the 31st ranked defense.
Rice’s first season in Tampa Bay was productive, however, it wasn’t until the second half of the season where he looked like the player that the Buccaneers thought they were bringing in. Rice totaled 44 tackles (16 for a loss), 11.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles through all 16 games.
Barrett, who still has two games left on his first full season with the Buccaneers has 49 tackles (16 for a loss), 16.5 sacks and six forced fumbles through 14 games.
While Rice ended up spending six seasons with the Buccaneers, Barrett was brought in on a one-year contract. Coach Bruce Arians isn’t going to let Barrett go anywhere and plans on getting him on a longer deal.
The full six season numbers for Rice are an astonishing 242 tackles, 69.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles and four interceptions. Huge numbers for anyone to stack up against.
As Buccaneers fans may remember the greatness that Rice brought to the team, the productivity that Barrett has brought his in first season have actually slanted the stats in his favor. It may be too early to put the best free agent title on Barrett, however, if they can keep him long term, and his productivity stays similar to that of this season, he may very well be the best free agent that the Buccaneers have ever brought in.
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