Shaquil Barrett says it’s a ‘possibility’ he’s played last snap with Bucs

See what Barrett said about his time with the Bucs and his love for Tampa Bay:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans likely have great memories of outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett in a Bucs uniform. But he may have donned the red and pewter for the last time in Tampa Bay’s 31-23 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Barrett spoke to reporters on the Monday after the game, and he confirmed that there is a possibility that the game could have been his last as a Buc. While Barrett acknowledged that there’s a real chance he could be done in Tampa Bay, he called the city his “second home” and stressed that he still wanted to remain with the Bucs if the two could make it happen.

“There’s a possibility,” Barrett said. “I’ve been around for a minute and I know with my contract and my production — and [you] got some promising young guys, that call could play a factor into it — but I would still love to be here.”

His contract will likely be the main point of contention when combined with his production. As it stands, Barrett signed a four-year, $68 million contract in 2021 — he isn’t a free agent, but that contract comes with a potential out next year with a post-June 1 cut, which would leave Tampa Bay with $26 million in dead cap. He’s getting paid quite a bit, but his production has been trending down signficantly since 2021 and he finished with just 4.5 sacks in 2023.

Barrett understands all of this. He acknowledged that there’s a business side to things, but that while he realizes that this could be the end for him and Tampa Bay, he hopes it is not and that he has a lot of great memories of the organization and all they’ve done for him.

“I understand it’s a business, but after everything that happened this year, we’re a family now, and I appreciate them for everything they did — just rocking with me, sticking with me through everything.”

If his tenure with Tampa Bay really is over, he had a great one. Barrett’s last five years in Tampa have seen him net 178 solo tackles, 45 sacks, three interceptions and 15 forced fumbles.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1364]