Shaq Barrett Chooses The Bucs, Were Eagles Even An Option?

The Eagles' pass rush has been one of the better ones in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks downfield as he gets pressured by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett (7). / Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

PHILADELPHIA - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed veteran edge rusher Shaq Barrett Saturday morning, a day after the veteran cleared waivers after being released by the Miami Dolphins.

It's a reunion for Barrett, 32, and the Bucs, the organization he once had 19 1/2 sacks for in 2019 and helped win Super Bowl LV.

Barrett had signed a one-year, $7 million contract with Miami this offseason but announced a surprise retirement in July, the day before the Dolphins opened training camp. He ultimately filed for reinstatement in November, but the Dolphins decided not to activate Barrett despite losing Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb to injury.

Whispers around the NFL linked Barrett's sudden change of heart to Howie Roseman and Philadelphia after the Eagles suffered injuries to Bryce Huff (wrist) and Brandon Graham (triceps).

The rumors were persistent because of Roseman's reputation and the perception that the always-proactive Eagles needed help on the edge after Huff, a splash free-agent signing in the offseason, didn't live up to the hype of a three-year, $51 million contract.

Roseman is also well-known for uncovering any rock and always doing his due diligence with any available player so it's low-hanging fruit to profess Eagles' "interest."

Dating back to August, however, Barrett had stated to Kay Adams that he'd only consider returning to two teams, his previous stops of Denver, where he started his career as an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska-Omaha, and Tampa Bay.

With two games left in the season, the Bucs are still alive in the NFC playoff hunt but the Atlanta Falcons are ahead in the NFC South standings via tiebreaker, meaning Sunday's game against Carolina is a must-win for Tampa Bay and Barrett will not be ready to contribute on such a short turnaround.

The 12-3 Eagles have already clinched a postseason berth for the fourth consecutive season and can wrap up the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference with a win over Dallas on Sunday.

The Eagles pass rush has also been one of the best in the NFL, albeit with more on an interior tint built around the immediate pressure emerging second-year star Jalen Carter provides.

Pro Football Focus currently ranks the Philadelphia pass rush as the second-best in the NFL behind only the T.J. Watt-led Pittsburgh Steelers.

As far as the actual edge rushers Josh Sweat is having a solid year with eight sacks and 37 hurries while second-year man Nolan Smith has emerged in the aftermath of the injuries with seven sacks and 18 hurries.

More help is on the way in the impending return of Huff from wrist surgery in November. The Eagles started the 21-day practice window for Huff on Dec. 18 and he's expected to be activated off of injured reserve for tomorrow's game against the Cowboys or next week's regular-season finale against the New York Giants.

Come playoff time the Eagles expected four-man rotation off the edge is expected to be Sweat, Smith, Huff, and third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt.

Roseman's actual moves to bolster the position once Huff and Graham hit IR were far more understated in the form of waiver-wire pickup Chuck Harris, who has played 11 defensive snaps in three games since arriving from Carolina, and practice-squad additions Ochaun Mathis and K.J. Henry.

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