Shaq’s Shoulder Irony
November 29th, 2019
Injury concern?
Here’s a fun finger-wag at Team Glazer.
Most fans remember one of the most egregious football errors in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history. It occurred during the winter of 2013, when an unconfirmed bonehead at One Buc Palace made the decision to not re-sign 27-year-old free agent defensive end Michael Bennett after his beastly 2012 season.
Bennett started every game in 2012, and with 18 tackles for loss — a feat accomplished once once by a Buccaneer since (Lavonte David 2013) — Bennett wanted to return to play alongside his good friend Gerald McCoy. But a shoulder injury, one that didn’t cost Bennett a game, apparently spooked the Bucs and much of the NFL. Seattle wasn’t scared and signed Bennett on a one-year deal for about $5 million.
The rest is NFL history. Bennett has 55 1/2 sacks, three Pro Bowl visits and a Super Bowl ring since leaving Tampa.
Enter current Bucs sacks leader Shaq Barrett, 27, who has a whopping 12 1/2 sacks through 11 games.
NFL writer Dan Pompei of TheAthletic.com penned a feature on Barrett this month and ironically revealed that Shaq, like Bennett, had a shoulder issue that was a concern during this year’s free agency frenzy.
Per Pompei, the Bengals offered a Shaq a two-year, $14 million contract in March but they pulled out after they didn’t like an MRI on the shoulder in question.
Shaq settled for the Bucs’ one-year, $4 million offer.
For Joe, all this chatter is either evidence why the Bucs only offered Shaq a one-year deal, or it is evidence the Bucs blew a great opportunity to add a second-year option to Shaq’s contract for, say, $6 million.
But Joe’s question now revolves around how Shaq’s shoulder potentially could affect his negotiations for a monster contract?
Bucco Bruce Arians himself said on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this season that 16-sack guys typically earn $16 million per season. Joe will add that the Arians formula certainly applies to young pass rushers like Barrett.
So when it comes to opening the Team Glazer vault, will the Bucs brass get spooked again by a productive defensive lineman who might have a suspect shoulder?
Joe sure hopes Team Glazer is monitoring this situation closely and learned something from the Bennett experience that might benefit in the looming Shaq decision.
November 29th, 2019 at 1:02 pm
There’s no way we can justify not keeping Shaq, we can’t piss away one of the bright spots on our D. Suh will be gone and that will free up some cash for him. Barrett, Via and White are the guys we need to build around on that side of the ball, hopefully we can add Dean to that list soon.
November 29th, 2019 at 1:26 pm
We must sign him. He adds amazing value. 1. He is a great pass rusher. 2. He took notes from V Miller on how to get better. 3. He can help new players with their game. 4. He is a good guy and no off field drama to worry about.
November 29th, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Shaq or jameis ? That is the question … and a easy one … shaq>Winston … we need shaq
November 29th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
If we sign our existing players at top dollar, how much are you willing to pay JW?
Btw, backups in the NFL are over .500 this year. So if you are wondering who could possibly throw the ball for us, take your pick.
Just an observation, that Blough kid, first time starter yesterday looked more poised and athletic than JW midway through his 5th year.
In BA I Trust!
November 29th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
There is less than 5% barrett returns to this circus and joe know this to be be fact… barrett’s agent has a responsibility to his client to maximize his earnings…. staying in a irrelevant small market franchise with no hope for the future is hardly doing the right thing for his client. Barrett will have choices and Tampa is the least desirable location in all of sports as long as glazers are calling the shots
November 29th, 2019 at 1:49 pm
But David Blough threw an interception.
November 29th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
More to a point of concern, Joe you need to write about this. What is the cap room going to be for the Bucs, 2020 and how many of these super good players can the Bucs afford to re-sign? We keep hearing about so-and-so will be $X to keep.
November 29th, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Sport O
Stick to synchronized swimming and gymnastics leave football for the adult men and women please….
November 29th, 2019 at 2:05 pm
Ah, been a while since we saw Joe whine about Michael Bennett, lol. Good times…
…so far as Shaq, he left his former team because they drafted his replacement and he wanted to start.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Obviously his shoulder hasn’t affected his play this year so resigning him is a no brainer. Somehow I can’t see the Buc’s NOT “fx&@/“ it up.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
John Sinclear Says
“What is the cap room going to be for the Bucs, 2020 and how many of these super good players can the Bucs afford to re-sign?”
Too much is up in the air right now. For example, if the NFL and the NFLA agree to an extension to their agreement, the option of designating a single player who will not count against the cap will be added. That alone would probably free up all the QB money if we re-sign Winston. IF.
Also, there are several players leaving the books too. Like Dotson.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
NFLPA I mean.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Sport Says
“Btw, backups in the NFL are over .500 this year. So if you are wondering who could possibly throw the ball for us, take your pick. ”
Never rely on a single year of production. That’s how teams end up with one-year-wonders.
Eli Manning will probably be a free agent this year. Maybe Stafford, if his backup does well. A few others who have proven track records. Eli would probably kill with the weapons he’d have here.
But overall, the best thing would be if Winston exploded for us.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Eli kill it here? LMAO you can’t be serious.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:31 pm
I love how people talk like the Bucs won’t have money next year. The bucs will have the 4th most I believe at around 86 million, not including the amount the cap goes up. I don’t think Jameis gets a big deal. I think the bucs get him for a multi year deal around 15-20 million with escalators. That is not a lot of money for a starting qb and cheaper than a franchise. Front load it so you can basically get out of it after this following year if you have to.
We can easily sign Barret and resign Godwin and have plenty of room for other stuff. Draft the Trenches and look at qb the following draft if Jameis flames out.
November 29th, 2019 at 2:32 pm
When we signed him the board laughed and said it’s a typical Bucs move, signing a player no one wants and stinks. Now we are on the Bucs for not signing him longer. What do you expect from a fan board that is hoping we lose to get better picks.
Keeping it real.
November 29th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Bonzi
i would like to compliment you on raising your stupidity to an all new level….. wow dude Stafford and eli lol…. bonzi bringing the stupid full speed this black Friday! yeah, let’s replace the qb of a top 5 offense with a dude with a defective back and a dinosaur….. you thinking you might be able to talk cozy Coleman back to while you are at it or maybe resurrect mike Webster
November 29th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Don’t be your usual cheap selves Tampa Bay. Sign the Man. Whatever it takes.
November 29th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Mike Johnson
Barrett will have his choice of teams all with dump trucks of cash backed up.. why would he choose this trainwreck????
Please you no state tax people go crawl in a hole…. good accounting can compensate for state taxes…. retirees care about no state taxes and good weather not driven winners with talent….
November 29th, 2019 at 4:08 pm
Franchise Shaq, grab a right tackle in round one, get a QB who thought he should have gone in round one in round two. We need a QB that has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. O-lone for the rest of the draft, unless there is a real running back in the area.
Predicating all of that is a coach that grows a big enough pair to bench Jameis and see what Griffin offers.
November 29th, 2019 at 5:45 pm
The Saints have done well scooping up injured players
November 29th, 2019 at 5:49 pm
tmaxcon … “There is less than 5% barrett returns to this circus and joe know this to be be fact”. And YOU know that to be a fact HOW tmaxcon? Shaq has got ONE great year of productivity on his resume … 12.5 sacks, 12 TFLs, 22 QB Hits, 5 forced fumbles, 1 INT & 2 PDs this year in this Bucs’ defense. In FIVE years in Denver he had a total of 14 sacks, 25 TFLs, 35 QB Hits, 7 forced fumbles, 0 INTs & 7 PDs.
Do you think that MAYBE Shaq is doing so well because THIS Bucs’ defense, run by Todd Bowles, fits him so well? I do; I think it’s tailor-made for his skillset. And I’d be willing to bet that Shaq and his agent KNOW that. For a fair multi-year contract, I’m confident Shaq would be more than eager to sign back on with the Bucs.
HOPEFULLY the Bucs aren’t dumb enough to let him, JPP, Suh & Nassib walk this off-season. All have high motors and are producing at a high level. And all 4 have proven to be iron-men this year (check their defensive snaps for proof). Where we still need help is the back-end of this defense. We’ve only got Davis, Dean, SMB & MJ Stewart under contract as CBs for next year, and Whitehead, Edwards, Justin Evans & Dixon as safeties. I only count 3 CBs & 2 Safeties we can count on for 2020 (and Edwards is supposedly now a CB?). We need help back there for 2020.
November 29th, 2019 at 6:31 pm
D R
Scott Boars knows one thing DOLLAR SIGNS!!!!!!!! bucs and glazers are a joke in nfl circles…. if bucs massively overpay they get barrett simple as that no other factor will be involved…. second tampa is a small market off field marketing potential is zilch compared to a winner in a larger market… it’s basic mathematics sir…throw in the fact bucs have a losing history and down deep you know I am 100% right….
November 29th, 2019 at 10:32 pm
Pay the man he has earned it .
November 29th, 2019 at 11:49 pm
I see the Bucs resigning Barrett drafting a OT in the 1st round of the 020 draft franchising Winston, drafting QB in the 2nd round, my reason for this thought is, look like the top 3 or 4 QBs in the 20 draft will be gone when Tampa draft also I think Shu and maybe Golhson want be resigned
November 30th, 2019 at 1:04 am
Shaq has been great in his “cash in” contract yr…& all due respect to Devon White’s play / future potential…But Licht passing on dominate SEC OLB/Edge Rusher Josh Allen(UK) for an speedy ILB, is already biting team in the butt.
November 30th, 2019 at 2:06 am
Resign Shaq. DT Javon Kinlaw in the first. Freak monster athlete like Vea that can play all over a 3-4 defense.
November 30th, 2019 at 5:49 am
jaymiss winsnot is not worth 25-30 million a year …period …..
November 30th, 2019 at 7:14 am
Remember if the Bucs don’t pay Winston that one franchise year then what do they do! I be already mentioned that the top 3 or 4 QBs will be gone by time the Bucs pick in the 20 draft. Do they go out and get a free agent which will probably cost the same or most likely more and take a chance We all see what happened with N Foles, C Keenan and the QB from Washington that went Minnesota
November 30th, 2019 at 7:45 am
JW is inconsistent. Has he earned a new pay day or not? A big problem is the constant firings of head coaches and their staffs. This problem has to be solved. NO NFL team can produce a winning record with that much HC instability. Prove me wrong.
Shaq Barrett is going nuts with Bowles as his DC. LVD is having a banner season. I’m looking forward to tomorrow cos the Defense acts like it’s jelling. The last 5 games will confirm if that is actually happening. It happened under Dungy. His eventual legendary SB Defense started coming together in the final half of the season. Fingers are x’ed that this is happening again. Go Bucs!!
November 30th, 2019 at 7:47 am
The Glazer Boys have the money, too. They can re-sign him.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:33 am
I’ve got a great idea. Forget signing Shaq & give a nice big raise to your all pro LT lazy ass Smith. After all you already threw away what 14mil on this clown whats a few more mil. After that you can give the great Winsnone 30mil and your all set. (for a disaster in 2020)
November 30th, 2019 at 9:34 am
Orlbuc
Doesn’t matter how much money the Glazers have..there’s this thing called a salary cap. Smdh.
November 30th, 2019 at 10:24 am
I’m sure if you look at the losing qb s on thanksgiving day you will see some turnovers , balls forced and running games that were forgotten . This is just the case when playing from behind, not having a running game being used with control and a defense that can’t get off the field and playing from behind . Three games ago Dak wasGod now he shouldn’t be signed ,,,, well maybe he received the same protection that other bad teams provide , which increases drops, fumbles and a poorly called running game. This is pretty simple stuff but you have a bunch of dumb jocks trying to figure it out !!! Dak is fine but he had poor protection and they couldn’t effectively run the football and had poor play calling for how they matched up with Buffalo !! That’s right the o coord that is being sniffed to replace Garrett called a terrible game , they have one good receiver , top three run blocking line and they abandoned the run . BTW the Bucs Qb hasn’t had any of these things and he try’s to win every game !! And normally from behind !!!