The Jets have a hole to fill in the defensive end rotation after losing 2023 sack leader Bryce Huff to the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. The team thought they had found a potential replacement later in free agency before a division rival scooped him up from under their nose.
Shaq Barrett, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, told Zach Gelb on CBS Sports Radio he felt very sure he was landing with the Jets in free agency before the Miami Dolphins swooped in and snatched him up.
“My agent was talking to me about potentially going to New York and it was New York all the way up until…the day I ended up agreeing to terms with the Dolphins and they came out of left field,” Barrett said.
“I loved the prospect of going to New York but the Dolphins, they’re just more established as a team, they’re more proven at this point and they got some good guys in my pass-rush room, so I was looking forward to partnering up with those guys.”
Barrett also mentioned the lack of state tax in Florida as a reason he quickly shifted to the Dolphins.
Here is the clip of Shaq Barrett telling me he thought he was going to land with the Jets and then the Dolphins came out of nowhere and signed him last second. @CBSSportsRadio @560WQAM @WFAN660 https://t.co/4wte48xh1d pic.twitter.com/LDidrvABLY
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) March 22, 2024
While Barrett’s sack numbers are down in comparison to other years — Barrett has sack totals of 8, 10, 3 and 4.5 in the four seasons since his 19.5-sack season in 2019 — he will still provide a good rotational piece for Miami and would have done the same for New York had he joined the Jets. Barrett also recorded at least 50 tackles in four of his five seasons with the Buccaneers.
The Jets are currently rolling with a rotation of Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald among others at the position but are still in the mix to sign Jadeveon Clowney, who had 9.5 in 2023 for the Baltimore Ravens.