[ad_1]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are nonetheless reveling of their Tremendous Bowl LV victory, however there may be loads of work Bruce Arians and the entrance workplace must accomplish this offseason. The Buccaneers have a number of notable free brokers to increase similar to Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette and Chris Godwin, however in addition they wish to hold the defensive facet of the ball collectively. Veteran linebacker Lavonte David was all however assured an extension from Arians this week, however what about star pass-rusher Shaquil Barrett?
Barrett and the Bucs failed to succeed in an settlement on an extension final offseason, and the Professional Bowler was franchise tagged. Whereas he made a cool $15.8 million in 2020, he is prepared for an enormous contract extension this time round. Throughout a Thursday interview with Adam Schein on SiriusXM’s Mad Canine Sports activities Radio, Barrett mentioned he feels prefer it’s time for an enormous payday.
“I am most positively trying ahead to getting a long-term deal accomplished…” Barrett informed Schein, by way of NFL.com. “I really feel prefer it’s time for me to interrupt the financial institution now, and I most positively wish to do this to have the ability to set my household up higher and most positively going to maintain producing, so it isn’t like something goes to fall off. I nonetheless suppose I obtained loads left within the tank. I am nonetheless getting higher, truly. I am nonetheless studying, like simply nonetheless studying, like week in, week out. And there is like, as you possibly can see because the season progressed like … I ended the season enjoying the way in which that I needed to play. And you may see that I did progress all through the season, and I am nonetheless progressing.”
Barrett proved to be an enormous pickup for the Buccaneers in 2019, as he recorded an NFL-best 19.5 sacks. The previous undrafted free agent out of Colorado State did not have that very same sort of manufacturing in 2020, as he recorded 57 mixed tackles and eight sacks in 15 video games, however he was nonetheless an necessary participant on this protection. Barrett additionally stepped up for the Bucs within the playoffs, as he recorded three sacks within the NFC Championship Sport towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers, after which one sack on Patrick Mahomes within the Tremendous Bowl.
The Buccaneers have a projected $28,396,683 million obtainable in salary-cap area (per Over The Cap). Barrett did inform Schein that he hopes he can keep in Tampa, however concessions will doubtless must be made someplace this offseason.
“I do nonetheless wish to have an incredible match for me and an incredible match for the household,” Barrett mentioned. “So no matter that seems to be. However I do wish to be right here. I feel we obtained an incredible workforce right here, an incredible group right here. So we will certainly go on simply to see the way it works out. However, I am trying ahead to attempting to get one thing accomplished right here.”
The Buccaneers’ pass-rush and defensive entrance at massive have been the principle cause the Bucs have been capable of defeat the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl LV. Elite pass-rushers are valued extremely on the open market, so if Barrett desires to actually “break the financial institution,” he might be enjoying soccer elsewhere in 2021. Arians is assured that the Buccaneers will be capable of retain their pending free brokers and make one other run at a title, however that can take flexibility from either side.
[ad_2]
supply