In 2019 the Bucs discovered a diamond within the tough in free company. Taking a flier on an unproven however promising go rusher, they gave former undrafted free agent Shaq Barrett a one-year, prove-it contract value $4 million.
Barrett was given the chance to earn a beginning position that was by no means afforded to him in his 4 years in Denver beforehand. And Barrett supplied the Bucs with a historic return on funding. His 58 tackles, league-leading 19.5 sacks, six compelled fumbles, and 82 pressures made up probably the greatest defensive seasons in group historical past.
With that efficiency, Barrett earned a one-year pay day within the type of a franchise tag that the Bucs positioned on him. Whereas the group was overjoyed at his 2019 efficiency, they have been additionally cautious at ensuring he might proceed as a high-end go rusher. And so Barrett as soon as once more went to work in 2020 on a prove-it deal of kinds. The $15,828,000 wage he earned that yr made him one of many highest paid gamers at his place however didn’t afford him the long-term safety he desired.
Nonetheless, Barrett produced as soon as once more in serving to the Bucs to their second Tremendous Bowl. Whereas his sack manufacturing was a way more modest quantity (eight), he remained constant in his capability to strain opposing quarterbacks, logging 77 pressures in his second yr in Tampa Bay. He additionally totaled 4 sacks within the postseason, together with one and a number of pressures in Tremendous Bowl LV.
The Bucs entrance workplace entered the 2021 offseason with three decisions. Give Barrett the long-term deal he was looking for, tag him once more for an nearly $19 million cap hit, or let him stroll with out having a superb possibility to switch him as OLB1. The group opted for plan A as they signed Barrett to a four-year, $68 million pact.
The place The Bucs And Shaq Barrett Stand Now
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
The inaugural season of Barrett’s mega-deal went moderately properly sufficient. He returned to the double-digit sack membership (10) and the Professional Bowl whereas sustaining his strain price (75). Nonetheless, in 2022 Barrett received off to a sluggish begin, recording simply 22 pressures and three sacks via seven video games.
Then in week eight Barrett would endure a torn Achilles that will finish his season. The Bucs would wrestle to copy Barrett’s effectiveness over the prior three years and their protection struggled down the stretch run of the season on their approach to a shedding document and an early playoff exit.
At age 30, Barrett now faces a troublesome street to restoration, and he’s not assured to be again to open the season, not to mention be efficient. A examine printed in 2018 to Foot and Ankle Worldwide discovered that 28% of gamers who suffered a torn Achilles didn’t resume their careers. Of those that did the examine discovered the imply return time was 339.8 days after the surgical procedure was carried out.
Whereas I can’t discover the precise date of Barrett’s surgical procedure, utilizing the earliest date he might have gotten it (the day after the sport he suffered the damage – 10/28/22) that will put him again on October 2nd. Barrett could possibly be again earlier than that, however his effectiveness ought to be in query. That very same examine additionally discovered that linebackers noticed vital decreases of their efficiency vs. each their pre-surgery efficiency in addition to controls.
How The Bucs Are Dealing with The Barrett Harm
Releasing Barrett was by no means a viable possibility for the Bucs from a wage cap standpoint, even when they didn’t imagine he can be efficient in 2023. Whereas there is no such thing as a assured cash in his $14,250,000 wage in 2023, in the event that they did select to let the veteran go they might speed up the $16.2 million in prorated expenses due between 2024 and 2025. That cash, mixed with the $6.65 million in prorated cap expenses this yr would have left the group on the hook for a $22.85 million useless cap cost. That useless cap hit would eclipse the cap cost they’ve in maintaining Barrett.
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Now whereas the discharge was not a possible possibility, the Bucs did make a conscience choice close to his contract that provides them an escape hatch subsequent yr in the event that they so select.
The Bucs confronted appreciable cap constraints this yr. They may have transformed a big chunk of Barrett’s wage right into a prorated bonus to save lots of cap room in 2023. In selecting to not, the Bucs saved themselves from growing the useless cap cost in 2024. If Barrett doesn’t present sufficient to be value $16.25 million wage subsequent yr the Bucs can launch him and save just below $7.5 million in wage cap.
On high of that, the Bucs have proven appreciable curiosity in a number of go rushers all through the 2023 draft cycle. Head coach Todd Bowles attended Kansas State’s professional day just lately the place he was in a position to watch edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah up shut.
Moreover, the Bucs have hosted Nolan Smith of Georgia and B.J. Ojulari from LSU on Prime 30 visits. All three of these gamers would symbolize main investments if the Bucs have been to draft them primarily based on common draft consensus. All three are ranked within the Prime 50 of Arif Hasan’s consensus large board for Professional Soccer Community, which is a composite of 25 totally different draft analyst’s opinions on this yr’s draft class.
Between the curiosity in younger, premier, Day 1/Day 2 edge rushers, and the choice to not push Barrett’s wage cap hits ahead, the Bucs are clearly hedging their bets on his capability to return to his pre-surgery excessive degree of play. Based mostly on these indicators this very properly could possibly be Barrett’s final yr in pewter and pink except he makes a miraculous comeback from his torn Achilles.
