If you did not know all the particulars of Shaquil Barrett's NFL career, and you visited his page on Pro Football Reference, you would likely assume he has played the last six years uninterrupted for the Buccaneers. Seeing that he only appeared in one regular season game in 2024, you would probably then assume he suffered a significant injury in the season opener.
Of course, Buccaneers fans know that is not how it went down. Once a relatively unknown name as a rotational player for the Denver Broncos, Barrett quickly became a fan favorite in Tampa after breaking Warren Sapp's single season sack record in his Bucs debut. He played five seasons (2019-23) for the Buccaneers on three contracts (including one franchise tag) and was instrumental in the 2020 Super Bowl run, but was then released in a cap-related move last March. There was no enmity between Barrett and the team, but he chose to sign with the Miami Dolphins after his release.
However, shortly before the start of Miami's training camp, Barrett announced his retirement from the NFL, explaining his decision as such: "I'm ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize their dreams and catch 'em." Barrett had played the 2023 season with a heavy heart after the accidental drowning of his two-year-old daughter Arrayah that April.
As is not uncommon, Barrett eventually got the itch to play again and asked for his release from the Dolphins' reserve/retired last. The team didn't immediately accede but did finally give Barrett his release in late December. He signed back with the Buccaneers and managed to get a few snaps in during the regular-season finale against New Orleans and the playoff game against Washington. After that season-ending loss to the Commanders, Barrett confirmed that his intention when coming out of retirement was to play beyond the 2025 season.
All of which brings us to where the Buccaneers and one of the best pass rushers in franchise history are now. The contract Barrett signed with Tampa Bay on December 28 was just a prorated part of a one-year agreement. That means when the new league year begins on March 12, he will become an unrestricted free agent, just as he was in 2019. Given how little time was left in the season when Barrett returned and that he would need some ramp-up time even to get back to a significant role, it seems likely that the Buccaneers were at least considering a renewed engagement beyond 2024. Did both sides see what they wanted to see in that brief cameo to work out a deal for 2025 and possibly beyond?
Barrett is one of 22 players from the Bucs' 2024 roster who are on pace to become unrestricted free agents if they don't get a new deal done before the start of the 2025 league year in March. Some of the players we'll examine between now and March 12 could get a new deal to stay in Tampa before that date. It's likely some of them will not be back, or will at least see what's available in free agency. This is the full schedule of our 2025 Free Agent Focus rundown:
February 12: WR Chris Godwin
February 14: QB Kyle Trask
February 19: OLB Anthony Nelson
February 26: C Robert Hainsey
February 28: WR Sterling Shepard
March 3: OLB Shaquil Barrett
March 4: LB Lavonte David
March 5: G Ben Bredeson
March 6: OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
March 7: LB K.J. Britt
This list is subject to change based on potential roster moves in the coming weeks. Today we look at a veteran pass-catcher who has a strong relationship with the team's starting quarterback.
Player: Shaquil Barrett
Position: Outside Linebacker
Age at the Start of the 2024 Season: 32
Experience: Entering 11th NFL season
How Acquired: Signed a pro-rated one-year contract as a free agent on December 28, 2024, after being waived from the Miami Dolphins' reserve/retired list. Originally signed with the Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent in 2019 before being released in a salary cap-related move in March of 2024.
Previous Contract(s): Barrett initially entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2014, initially getting a three-year contract before ending up on the team's practice squad as a rookie. He re-signed with the Broncos in January of 2015 to a two-year deal and then became an exclusive free agent in March of 2017. He signed a new one-year deal at that point, and then did so again as a restricted free agent in 2018. When Barrett finally hit unrestricted free agency in 2019, he signed a one-year "prove-it" deal with the Buccaneers in the hopes of landing a larger role on defense. The Bucs used the franchise tag to keep Barrett on the team in 2020, then signed him to a four-year extension in March of 2021. After being released by Tampa Bay with one year left on that deal last March, Barrett signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins but subsequently elected to retire.
Rank in Pro Football Focus **Top 100 NFL Free Agents** for 2025: Not ranked.
2024 Performance: As noted above, Barrett's playing time last season was minimal, given that he spent about 83% of it on Miami's reserve/retired list. He got onto the field for 12 defensive snaps when the Bucs played the Saints in Week 18 and contributed one tackle. He got just five snaps in the playoffs against Washington but did make one more tackle.
Career Accomplishments: Barrett ranks fifth in Buccaneers history with 45.0 sacks, behind only Hall of Famers Lee Roy Selmon and Warren Sapp plus Simeon Rice and Gerald McCoy. In 2019, he made extremely good on a one-year "prove-it" contract with Tampa Bay, immediately breaking the team single-season record with 19.5 sacks and becoming the first Buccaneer ever to lead the league in that category.
Barrett tallied 8.0 more sacks in 2020, then turned in a huge postseason performance as the Buccaneers won three straight road playoff games before dominating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. He had 3.0 sacks in the NFC Championship Game victory in Green Bay, plus four quarterback hits, then added another sack and four more QB hits against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. He reached double digits in sacks again in 2021, with 10.0, then missed half of the 2022 season with an Achilles tendon tear. After a 4.5-sack campaign in 2023, Barrett moved on to Miami.
Since joining the Buccaneers in 2019, Barrett has recorded 15 strip-sacks, third in the NFL in that span behind only superstars T.J. Watt (17) and Myles Garrett (16). Prior to coming to Tampa, Barrett spent five years in Denver, landing a spot on the practice squad as an undrafted free agent in 2014 then working primarily in a rotational edge rush role over the next four campaigns. He did start 15 combined games in the 2015 and 2017 seasons and overall recorded 14.0 sacks in 61 appearances. Overall, Barrett has played in 132 games with 85 starts and has amassed 401 tackles, 59.0 sacks, 73 tackles for loss, 22 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, three interceptions, 18 passes defensed and one defensive touchdown. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2021 and won Super Bowl titles with Denver in 2015 and Tampa Bay in 2020.
Other Potential Free Agent Outside Linebackers/Edge Rushers: Khalil Mack (Chargers), Josh Sweat (Eagles), Haason Reddick (Jets), Malcolm Koonce (Raiders), Baron Browning (Cardinals), Dayo Odeyingbo (Colts), Chase Young (Saints), Azeez Ojulari (Giants), DeMarcus Lawrence (Cowboys), Dante Fowler (Commanders), Chauncey Golston (Cowboys), Matt Judon (Falcons), Dennis Gardick (Cardinals), Josh Uche (Chiefs), Derek Barnett (Texans)
Top Outside Linebacker/Edge Rusher Prospects in 2025 NFL Draft: Abdul Carter (Penn State), James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), Mike Green (Marshall), Mykel Williams (Georgia), Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), Jalon Walker (Georgia), Landon Jackson (Arkansas), Jack Sawyer (Ohio State), JT Tuimolaou (Ohio State), Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College), Jared Ivey (Ole Miss), Bradyn Swinson (LSU), Kyle Kennard (South Carolina)
