The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have chosen to release a veteran player from the squad this week.
Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is set to become a free agent after the Bucs released him.
In need of retaining several key members of their 2023 team, the Buccaneers have a few likely salary cap casualties and Barrett was one of them. The Bucs are releasing Barrett before he is owed a $15.04 million option bonus next month.
Barrett originally joined the Bucs as a free agent in 2019 after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Denver Broncos. His one-year deal with the Bucs was a steal as he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2019. He played on the franchise tag in 2020.
After the Bucs won the Super Bowl in the 2020 season, Barrett signed a four-year, $72 million deal in March 2021.
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His first season after the contract saw him rack up a team-high 10 sacks in 15 games during the 2021 campaign. The next season ended early after eight games when he suffered a torn Achilles.
Tampa would free $10.5 million in cap space when they restructured Barrett’s deal shortly before the start of last season.
Barrett started 18 of their 19 games last year and recorded nine quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks in 16 regular-season games.
