The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense will look a lot different in 2024 in light of a key personnel move the team made Tuesday morning.
Tampa Bay is releasing linebacker Shaquil Barrett, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, appearing on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football as the news about Barrett broke, briefly discussed the move and explained it was a “tough decision.”
“Shaq has been great for us over the last five years, but these tough decisions have to be made. Who knows? We’ll see what happens down the line,” Bowles said, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
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Barrett, 31, won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in February 2021 and led the league with 19 1/2 sacks in 2019. He ranks fifth on the franchise’s all-time sack list with 45 in five seasons.
Tampa Bay still faces a number of tough decisions this offseason. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans, linebacker Lavonte David and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are all unrestricted free agents.
Bowles expressed the team’s desire to retain both Mayfield and Evans on Good Morning Football. Barrett’s release will cause the Bucs to incur dead money hits against the salary cap in 2024 and ’25 but will provide approximately $5 million in cap relief, per Stroud.
