Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett put his old team on notice after he signed with the Miami Dolphins on Monday.
“A lot to prove,” Barrett told reporters via The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad. “Especially getting cut from another team like that, adds another whole fuel to the fire right there. And I’m like, Dolphins gonna’ be happy they signed me. Tampa gonna’ be mad they let me go.”
Barrett played six seasons for the Buccaneers as he tallied 249 tackles, 45 sacks, three interceptions, and 15 forced fumbles in that span. He helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl in 2020, and he had two seasons with 10 or more sacks, which included a 19.5-sack performance in 2019.
Things changed for Barrett in 2022 when he tore his Achilles against the Baltimore Ravens. Barrett then had a difficult offseason with the untimely death of his two-year-old daughter, Arrayah, in a drowning accident in April 2023. The Barrett family also had some major good news in the past year since the tragedy with the birth of Allanah Ray in February.
“This last year was a lot,” Barrett said. “A whole lot. Good. Bad. Ugly. And it just helped me figuring out how strong of a person that I can be. And how to go through trials and tribulations and still be able to get through to the other side.”
Shaq Barrett Has Big Goal After Down Year for Sacks
Barrett’s play on the field in 2023 didn’t quite return to the same full force in the sack department as 2021 or 2022 before the injury. Barrett had just 4.5 sacks and 52 tackles plus three forced fumbles in 16 games played.
Nonetheless, Miami gets an experienced, nine-year veteran who believes he has a lot left as he chases the single-season NFL sack record. Former NFL stars Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt hold the current record at 22.5 sacks.
“My goal is 23 sacks,” Barrett said about his goal with the Dolphins. “I want to break the record every year. I want to be the best. I want to be one of the best pass rushers to do it.”
Tampa Bay released Barrett on February 27 to save “nearly $5 million in salary cap relief” according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. Miami took advantage by signing Barrett to a one-year deal, which will be “worth up to $9 million” according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, via CBS Sports.
Shaq Barrett: I Want You to Feel My Presence on a Football Field’
Barrett believes he will fit right in with the Dolphins defense. Miami also added linebackers Anthony Walker and Jordyn Brooks to unit that gave up 23 points and 318.3 yards per game.
“Super aggressive,” Barrett said of the Dolphins defense. “You’re gonna’ bring it every single play. Get the job done no matter what it takes… There’s like there’s no friends on a football field.”
“When you’re a dawg, like I understand we boys outside of football, but right now, I’m gonna’ go at your neck. Right now I want you to feel my presence on a football field,” Barrett added.
An undrafted free agent in 2014 out of Colorado State, Barrett found footing in the NFL with the Denver Broncos at first. He helped the Broncos win a Super Bowl in 2015, and Barrett tallied 14 sacks, 151 tackles, and seven forced fumbles in four seasons.
Barrett joined the Buccaneers as a free agent in 2019. He earned $73.15 million in his six seasons with the team.
