After a record-setting performance against the Falcons in Week 17, linebacker Shaq Barrett made it clear where he wants to play in 2020.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season ended with a Jameis Winston pick-six (surprise, surprise) in an overtime loss Sunday to the Atlanta Falcons. The Bucs finish the season at 7-9, an improvement over their 5-11 record from the past two seasons.
The Bucs now head into an offseason needing to address a number of issues, primarily, how they can retain linebacker Shaq Barrett, who finished the season with 19.5 sacks after collecting three in yesterday’s loss to the Falcons.
Barrett entered yesterday’s game with 16.5 sacks, which was tied with Warren Sapp (2000) for the single-season franchise record. His three-sack performance shattered that mark, something nobody could’ve predicted when Barrett signed with the Bucs on a one-year deal in the offseason.
Now a pending free agent, Barrett has made it clear where he wants to be next year.
Why wouldn’t Barrett want to stay in Tampa? He’s thrived under defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and has a chance to be a cornerstone of this defense alongside Devin White. Plus, Barrett has said how much he and his family hate moving.
It seems clear that the Bucs want Barrett back, too. The only question now is how much it will ultimately cost the team to keep him around for the long term.
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