Tag: barrett buccaneers

Shaq Barrett is signing his franchise tender; not close to long-term deal

Buccaneers LB Shaq Barrett will sign his franchise tag tender, but he and the Bucs remain far apart on a long-term deal.

Shaq Barrett burst onto the scene last season, going from afterthought offseason signing to the 2019 sack leader.

Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks last year, breaking the Bucs’ single-season franchise record in the process. Throughout the year, Bruce Arians and the Bucs were adamant that they wanted Barrett back with the team in 2020 and beyond, and for what it’s worth, Barrett was just as enthusiastic about remaining in Tampa.

But after being assigned the franchise tag by the team this offseason, many wondered if and when Barrett would sign his tender without the promise of a long-term deal. Well, it seems Barrett will indeed sign, but the sides still seem far apart on a long-term deal.

You’ve got to wonder if the Bucs are working on a one-year deal to try and see if Barrett can replicate his 2019 success. He seems like a perfect fit in Todd Bowles’ system, but if they are going to invest big money, long term, they want to make sure they’ll get close to the same production as they did in 2019.

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Shaq Barrett needs 11.5 sacks in 2020 to break this Simeon Rice mark

Bucs LB Shaquil Barrett had a monster season in 2019, and has a chance to break another Bucs record come 2020.

Buccaneer linebacker Shaquil Barrett came out of nowhere last season to lead the league in sacks with 19.5, a huge feat considering he had only 14.0 sacks over the previous four years.

Barrett also broke Warren Sapp’s single-season franchise record for sacks set in 2000 (16.5), but if he really wants to make his mark further in the Bucs’ record books, Barrett will need to get 11.5 sacks this upcoming season to eclipse the two-year sack total set by former defensive end Simeon Rice, who collected 15.5 in 2002 and 15.0 in 2003 for a total of 30.5. (Sapp had only 6.0 sacks the year after setting the franchise mark.)

The good news for Barrett is that both Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh will be back with the Bucs defense this season, meaning teams will have to account for more than just Barrett.

It was a historic year for the former undrafted player in 2019, and Barrett is hoping to prove to himself, and the league, that he’s anything but a one-hit wonder. Breaking Rice’s two-year sack mark would go a long way in cementing his legacy with the Bucs franchise.

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Shaq Barrett wishes his son a happy birthday on Instagram

Bucs LB Shaq Barrett took to Instagram recently to wish his son a very happy birthday.

Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett had a historic season for Tampa Bay in 2019, collecting 19.5 sacks, which not only led the league but also broke the franchise’s single-season record.

Barrett received the franchise tag from the Buccaneers, who are hoping to sign him to a long-term deal. For what it’s worth, Barrett was adamant all last year that he wanted to remain in Tampa.

With much to celebrate this offseason, Barrett took some time to celebrate someone else in his family recently, his son Braylon. Check out Barrett’s recent Instagram post to his son below.

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Jameis Winston comes in at No. 29, Shaq Barrett No. 9 in ESPN’s list of Top 100 free agents

See where some of your favorite Tampa Bay Buccaneers players land on ESPN’s list of the top 100 free agents of 2020.

One week from today, the mayhem that is NFL free agency will begin in full force with the start of the new league year on March 18. Teams will be scrambling to fill roster spots, hoping they have the money and resources to lure some of this year’s prized free agents to their team.

The Buccaneers will have to address several free agents of their own, including Shaq Barrett and Jameis Winston. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the other week that the Bucs could wind up using the franchise tag on Barrett if the two sides can’t come to a long-term agreement. That scenario may not be the ideal one for Winston, who is hoping the team brings him back after his 30-interception season.

So, where do Barrett and Winston find themselves on ESPN’s list of the top 100 free agents of 2020? Kevin Seifert has Barrett in his top 10, putting him at No. 9, while pointing out his mega 2019 season.

“Rarely has a player raised his value more in a contract year than Barrett did in 2019. After signing a one-year contract with the Buccaneers worth $5 million, Barrett led the NFL with 19.5 sacks. Although not all sacks are equal, it would be difficult to record that many without displaying some exceptional pass-rushing skills and playmaking along the way.”

Winston made the top 30, coming in at No. 29.

“All you need to know about Winston is that in 2019 he became the first player in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season. His downfield explosiveness is undeniable, but his turnover rate is totally out of sync with today’s passing-friendly league. It had been 31 years since a quarterback threw as many as 30 interceptions in one season. The Buccaneers seem determined to evaluate other options.”

The Bucs will of course want to do their due diligence before committing to Winston one way or the other, but they should not ignore the words of former players who think Winston is poised for a big Year 2 under Bruce Arians. Tampa Bay will need to determine if the risk of bringing in another quarterback is worth it.

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Shaq Barrett wishes his wife a happy anniversary on Instagram

See what Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett had to say to his wife on Instagram to celebrate their anniversary.

If you are Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett, life is good. Not only did you lead the NFL in sacks with 19.5 this past season and earn Second-Team All-Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl, but it also set you up for a big payday once free agency hits.

Barrett will be one of the most prized free agents on the market, but he’s made it clear to everyone that he wants to stay right where he is. And, for what it’s worth, the Bucs seem to feel the same way, with head coach Bruce Arians even saying about Barrett “he ain’t going nowhere.”

While Barrett will have to wait a little longer to celebrate his big new contract — from the Bucs or someone else — he took some time recently to celebrate his anniversary, even posting the below message to his wife on Instagram.

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Bucs LB Shaq Barrett is ready for the Pro Bowl in Orlando

See what Shaq Barrett posted on his Instagram account today as he prepares for the Pro Bowl in Orlando this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaq Barrett may not be heading to the Super Bowl in Miami, but he’s ready to suit up for the Pro Bowl this week in Orlando.

The Second-Team All-Pro who led the NFL in sacks this season with 19.5, and also set the Bucs’ single-season franchise record, is likely going to get a big contract from the Buccaneers this offseason, so being a part of the Pro Bowl is really just icing on the cake.

Barrett took to Instagram today to announce his arrival in Orlando. Take a look.

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Where do Shaq Barrett and Jameis Winston land on the list of top 50 free agents?

Find out where Shaq Barrett, Jameis Winston and Breshad Perriman find themselves on ESPN’s list of the top 50 free agents.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found a diamond in the rough in linebacker Shaq Barrett when they signed the former Denver Bronco to a one-year deal last offseason.

Barrett had a season for the ages, leading the NFL with 19.5 sacks and shattering the Bucs’ single-season franchise record. Both the Pro Bowl linebacker and Bucs seem interested in working out a long-term contract, with head coach Bruce Arians recently saying Barrett “ain’t going nowhere.”

But, Barrett isn’t the only high-profile free agent the Bucs will have to consider keeping around this offseason. Quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw for 5,109 yards 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions this season, is also slated to become a free agent after playing the 2019 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract.

So, where do these two big-name stars land on ESPN’s list of the top 50 free agents who could hit the market? As you might’ve guessed, Barrett finds himself high on the list, landing at No. 8.

Here’s ESPN’s reasoning:

“Rarely has a player raised his value more in a contract year than Barrett did. After signing a one-year contract with the Buccaneers worth $4 million, Barrett led the NFL with 19.5 sacks. Although not all sacks are equal, it would be difficult to record that many without displaying some exceptional pass-rush skills and playmaking along the way.”

Winston, however, found himself further down the list, landing right in the middle of the pack at No. 25.

“All you need to know about Winston is that in 2019 he became the first player in NFL history to throw 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season. His downfield explosiveness is undeniable, but his turnover rate is totally out of sync with today’s passing-friendly league. It had been 31 years since a quarterback threw as many as 30 interceptions in one season. The Buccaneers, who have the No. 14 overall pick in the draft, might have no choice but to re-sign or franchise him.”

It always sounds like the Bucs are thrilled at the idea of bringing back Barrett and resigned to the fact that Winston will likely have to be brought back. While Winston was No. 25, the quarterback picked right behind him in the 2015 NFL Draft, Marcus Mariota, came in at 50.

For what it’s worth, wide receiver Breshad Perriman also found himself on the list at No. 40.

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Bill Barnwell calls Shaq Barrett’s breakout season something ‘nobody saw coming’

See what Bill Barnwell of ESPN had to say about the breakout year of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaq Barrett.

It’s hard to believe, but there are just two games left in the 2019 regular season.

It feels like just yesterday we were talking about the hiring of Bruce Arians, the Bucs’ upcoming draft and the release of veteran Gerald McCoy. An offseason with such big moves led to some big expectations for this team entering the season, namely for quarterback Jameis Winston.

While Winston has had his ups and downs this season, one Bucs player who has been a revelation is linebacker Shaq Barrett, who joined Tampa Bay on a one-year deal during the offseason.

Barrett currently leads the NFL with 16.5 sacks, which is also with Warren Sapp for the Bucs’ single-season record. Barrett’s breakout season was one of the 15 surprises that ESPN’s Bill Barnwell says “nobody saw coming” at the beginning of the season.

Here’s part of what Barnwell had to say about Barrett after stating how surprised he was that the NFL sack leader would be a Broncos castoff.

“I did not see the Shaq Barrett season coming. An undrafted free agent in 2014, he showed some promise when he debuted the following season, racking up 5.5 sacks and 12 knockdowns while playing 45% of the defensive snaps. Buried behind DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller and Shane Ray, Barrett finally got a chance to start in 2017 and disappointed… It seemed like Barrett might have been a flash in a pan when he followed a run of nine sacks in four games to start the season by picking up just 1.5 sacks over the following four. That has not been the case. He has responded with five sacks and 14 knockdowns over his past four games.”

Barnwell goes on to talk about Barrett’s pending free agency and what we can expect in terms of a deal between him and the Bucs.

“Barrett isn’t going to get [Von] Miller’s six-year, $114.5 million contract this offseason, but as Bruce Arians admittedly recently, Barrett ‘ain’t going anywhere.’ The Bucs could use their franchise and transition tags to keep Barrett and Jameis Winston in-house for the short term, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they negotiated a multiyear deal with their star pass-rusher.”

Barrett, himself, sounds like he wants to return to the Bucs next year if they can strike a deal. It’s in both parties’ best interest to get a deal done. Barrett has flourished in this Todd Bowles system and the Bucs have an emerging superstar to play alongside Devin White.

It’s a win-win situation for both sides.

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