Bucs Gameday

Buccaneers' Star Defensive Player Expects to be Ready for Week 1

Shaq Barrett is on pace to return to the Buccaneers' lineup without limitations for the team's first regular-season game in September.

Collin Haalboom

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It's hard to believe that Shaquil Barrett is already entering his 5th season as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Back in 2014, Barrett was undrafted coming out of Colorado State, but he signed a contract with the Denver Broncos shortly thereafter. He went on to earn his spot on the team though and ended up spending five seasons in Denver where he proved to be a solid rotational pass rusher and valuable depth piece for the Broncos.

But in 2019, Bucs' GM, Jason Licht, pounced at the chance to give Barrett an opportunity in Tampa, when he signed him to a 1-year, $4 million contract. To say that Barrett took that opportunity and ran with it would be a drastic understatement.

Barrett dominated from the moment he arrived in Tampa Bay, and made quite a name for himself in the process. His breakout 19.5 sack campaign with the Buccaneers in 2019 earned him adulation from the fanbase, and the nickname 'Sack Barrett', to go with it. 

So when Barrett became a free agent the following offseason, he rewarded Jason Licht by agreeing to another 1-year deal to remain in Tampa, this time worth upwards of $15 million, and fully guaranteed.

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Barrett responded again, this time by playing an integral role in the Buccaneers' second-half surge, which ultimately led to a Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium. Barrett was on a mission in that game in particular. His speed and relentlessness overwhelmed the Chiefs' offensive line, and Patrick Mahomes was running for his life all game.

Although Barrett was already a part of a Super Bowl winning team in Denver, it wasn't the same as this one in Tampa Bay. This time, Barrett was a major factor in the team's success leading up to the game and a key contributor to their victory in the final game of the season. 

Barrett, again, was rewarded for his efforts with a lucrative contract. This time, it was a 4-year, $68 million deal. 

Although Barrett hasn't been able to replicate the 19.5 sacks that he registered in 2019, he's been a very important part of the Buccaneers' defense in each of the five seasons he's been in Tampa. Which is why it was so tough to see Barrett go down with a torn achilles last season during the team's Week 8 matchup vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

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The Buccaneers' chances at postseason success in 2022 continued to fade as the season went along. But you could easily argue that no specific game result, injury, or bad play was as deflating to the team's hopes as Barrett's season-ending injury.

He is the only proven edge rusher the Buccaneers have on their roster. In the locker room, his positive attitude, leadership, and work ethic were also sorely missed during his absence.

Which is why it is extremely encouraging to hear that Shaq Barrett is expecting to return to the lineup for the team's first game come September. Barrett made the proclamation of his plans on a recent episode of the Loose Cannons Podcast. 

"I'm ready to go. I'm [going to be] be ready to go when it's time to go. And I'm pretty sure 'time to go' will be first game. I don't anticipate missing any games. I don't anticipate being on any play counts, so I should be ready to go for the first game for sure." 

The Buccaneers' roster has already undergone some significant changes from last year. The most notable of which is obviously at the quarterback position. But one change that some may be overlooking is the return of Shaq Barrett to the lineup. And based on the comments he made last week, it appears as though we can expect to see him in the lineup for the start of the season. 

Barrett's return will be a huge boost to the Buccaneers' defense. Not to mention, coming off a serious injury, there's plenty of reason to believe that Barrett will be hungry to prove himself once again. And if his history in the league is any indication, then we all know that Shaquil Barrett is very good at proving himself. 

Especially as a Buccaneer. 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.