Shaquill Barrett didn't stay on the open market long as the Buccaneers were quick to retain their star pass rusher on the first day of the legal tampering period. Barrett inked a four-year deal for a reported $72 million to remain in Tampa Bay and will earn $36 million guaranteed. Now, Tampa essentially has all of their Super Bowl-winning core intact as they head into 2021 and try to become the first team since the 2003-04 New England Patriots to win back-to-back titles.
Below, you'll find a breakdown of all the news and nuggets that ultimately led to Barret re-upping with the Buccaneers along with a scouting report of the player.
Scouting report (pros and cons)
Pros:
- Elite pass-rusher (19.5 sacks in 2019)
- Durable (missed one game during his Bucs tenure)
- Strong against the run
- Rarely misses tackles
- Clutch, plays well in big games (NFC Championship Game, Super Bowl LV)
Cons:
- Took five seasons to break out, leaving some questions of being a flash in the pan
Free agent timeline
March 15: On the first day of the legal tampering period, Shaquil Barrett and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed to a four-year contract for him to remain with the club as they begin their Super Bowl title defense. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Barrett inked a deal worth up to $72 million and includes $36 million guaranteed.
March 9: The Buccaneers have begun talks on a long-term contract with Barrett. That's according to ProFootballTalk and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who reported Tuesday that Tampa Bay is hoping to lock up its other top free agent ahead of the official start of the offseason next week.
"Barrett won't come cheap," Breer wrote. "(But) the Bucs have begun discussions in earnest on a long-term deal (for) ... one of the stars of Super Bowl LV and a crucial edge rusher in Todd Bowles' defense."
March 9: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to deploy the franchise tag on wide receiver Chirs Godwin. This move now has Barrett one step closer to hitting the open market and really put his future in Tampa in doubt. Given how important Barrett is to what the Buccaneers do defensively, you could look at Godwin getting tagged as a sign of confidence that they'll be able to retain their star linebacker. However, time will tell if this ultimately leads to him re-signing.
Feb 11: During an appearance on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Sports Radio, Barrett, who played the 2020 season on the franchise tag, told host Adam Schein that he feels like he has earned a big contract and noted that he feels "like it's time for me to break the bank now."
"I mean, I do still want to have a great fit for me and a great fit for the family," he said while explaining that he'd hope to remain with the Buccaneers. "So whatever that, like, that turns out to be. But I do want, I want to be, I want to be here. I think we got a great team here, a great organization here. So we will definitely go on just to see how it works out and shake up. But, I'm looking forward to trying to get something done here."
