After spending the first five years of his career as a rotational pass rusher behind Broncos stars including Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and Bradley Chubb, outside linebacker Shaq Barrett became a free agent in March.
Barrett made it clear that he wanted to go somewhere where he could be a starter and he picked the Buccaneers, betting on himself to win a starting job. Denver couldn’t offer him a starting position over Miller or Chubb.
Barrett’s gamble paid off as he quickly emerged as a starter in Tampa Bay and had a breakout season in 2019, leading the NFL with 16.5 sacks through 14 games. His previous career-high was 5.5 sacks in 2015. Earlier this week, Barrett was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
Barrett’s success as a starter hasn’t been a surprise to Miller.
“I’m definitely not surprised,” Miller said in October. “All the plays that he’s making, he made them in practice. The spin versus the Rams, he’s done stuff like that. Interceptions, he’s done stuff like that here in practice.”
Barrett is scheduled to become a free agent again in 2020. Bucs coach Bruce Arians said earlier this week that Barrett “ain’t going nowhere.”
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