Willie McGinest On Shaq Barrett: “Keep The Game Together”
February 23rd, 2021
Best fit.
Without a pass rush, a defense is dead meat. So in Joe’s eyes, the most important free agent signing for the Bucs is none other than Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett.
Another former outside linebacker who won a Super Bowl ring (three to be exact) apparently feels the same way. In so many words, NFL Network analyst Willie McGinest believes the smartest move by the Bucs this free agent season is to lock up Shaq.
Co-hosting “Total Access” seen weeknights on NFL Network, McGinest took to the video to show why Shaq is so important to the Bucs. Shaq and fellow outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul even have choreographed moves to enable one of them to get to the quarterback on a given play, McGinest noted.
It is just common sense, McGinest said, to keep Shaq if the Bucs are serious about going for two. McGinest said there is no better fit for Shaq in the NFL right now than in Tampa Bay.
“I love him in Tampa,” McGinest said. “Keep the game together.”
You can watch McGinest’s full take in the NFL Network video below.
Shaquil Barrett, J.J. Watt, Melvin Ingram III, and Matthew Judon…
What is the BEST fit for these pass rushers in free agency? 👇
📺: @NFLTotalAccess pic.twitter.com/6kliqPpPRP
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 23, 2021
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:40 am
get it done licht
GO BUCS!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:44 am
*Keep the gang together*
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:49 am
Yes….keep the defense together…….Shaq, Suh, LVD……
The offense will be fine minus Godwin. & Fournette….we do need to try to keep Gronk & AB
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:49 am
Let’s move along to FA already. It’s all been said. Bucs want them all. It comes down to how much do the FAs want vs how much can the Bucs afford.
Here are some story ideas …
1. Explain restructuring contracts. How does it work? Who on the Bucs roster is eligible? How much could the Bucs potentially save?
2. What players most likely to get cut (to make room for our prized FAs)?
3. What does an offseason look like for NFL players?
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:51 am
Gotta have Shaq, he is #1 on our FA list.
Succop is a must and he doesn’t cost that much.
Got to keep Brady’s buddy Gronk; either OJ or Brate is gone ($6MM saved there)
I would like to keep[ Suh and LVD, hopefully they won’t ask for the moon; there old as heck.
I just don’t see how we can afford Godwin; and I think Johnson can fill his spot in the slot, along with a bargain priced contract with AB
Fournette can be filled in for through another FA who wants a ring.
Extend Brady and ME and roll some of their money into a signing bonus to create cap space.
Draft to replace the roll players
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:51 am
Obviously Shaq wants to get paid. But does he want to line up next season on another team and not see Vita, Suh, and JPP next to him?
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Bucs will let Shaq test free agency.
David has always put Tampa first, even above himself, and there is no reason to think that will change any time soon
David. Godwin. Suh. Succop. AB. 5 out of 6
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:05 pm
David – nfl high 736 coverage snaps.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:06 pm
Godwin- Brady’s most targeted receiver on the team. Brady loves playing with him. He will be back.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:21 pm
I think we have to consider Shaq’s production relative to the talent around him…..He had 8 sacks in 15 games, not sure how you pay that type of production elite money when he wasn’t even all that dominant. Vea went out….that line disappeared. Had Shaq continued to be productive without Vea, then it makes sense but i think you find a quality player at half the price of what Shaq is seeking.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:32 pm
Shaq is really good but I agree that without VV he didn’t produce nearly enough to warrant a huge pay day.
I think it makes sense to use the tag below and hope someone else signs him and we get 2 -1st round picks for him.
Non-exclusive franchise tag: This is the most commonly used tag. Colloquially, when most refer to the “franchise tag,” they are generally talking about the non-exclusive version. This is a one-year tender of the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, or 120 percent of his previous salary, whichever is greater. The player can negotiate with other teams. The player’s current team has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation if he signs with another organization.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:49 pm
There are several ways to restructure contracts.
Make salaries guaranteed for less $$$.
Extend the term for less $$$
Pay more in future years than this year.
There are others, but these are the main avenues.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:08 pm
I agree BucsFanFromSaintsLand, also sounded to me like McGinest said “Keep the GANG together”. (Couldn’t understand the ‘Keep the GAME together’ translation.
Interesting though that McGinest never mentioned Ndamukong Suh in that. To me, Suh was THE most important player on our DLine this past season. Love Vea, but he missed too many games to be THE GUY. And Shaq & JPP both need Suh tearing up the interior to perform at the level they did. Bucs have to re-sign Suh if we expect this pass rush to perform at the level it has for the past 2 yrs that he’s been a Buc.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:13 pm
We’ll see what kind of salary cap magic the Bucs can come up with. If they do, great. If not, and Shaq “breaks the bank” with another team, I’d like the Bucs to sign Von Miller (if he’s cut), not only is he a SACK MASTER, he was the one who coached Shaq up in Denver. Miller could also coach up an edge rusher from the 2021 Draft, along with Cam Gill. We’ll see, though.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:15 pm
He is the most expendable….er him then CG.
he was invisible the whole season. grab another one like we did him. This is the new Patriots boys. Can’t pay everyone!
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Dooshlarue … I wouldn’t be all that concerned about Shaq not re-signing except for 1 thing: his agent is Drew Rosenhaus (aka, The Shark) & he’s screwed over the Bucs before (ask Errict Rhett). Not my favorite agent by any means.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:26 pm
i agree with def rules……. suh slows and clogs the middle …… shaq was quite w/o vea in there
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:26 pm
It is Pretty simple really, and Joe you nailed it “Without a pass rush, a defense is dead meat. So in Joe’s eyes, the most important free agent signing for the Bucs is none other than Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett”.
Just like with the Bucs, if you do not hound Brady and sac him, he will slice and dice you up. I said all year, if Brady has a clean jersey, the Bucs win, if Brady is being knocked around, then all bets are off. So J Licht let sanity prevail. All the games through the years, no pass rush. And the Bucs would get seal clubbed because they were inept at getting to the QB. I do not know how many times it has been included in posts here by Joe, but it is a lot over the years. Losing sucks. GO BUCS!!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:37 pm
First of all, I really like Barrett.
I do think JPP is a better overall player.
And Barrett was largely invisible after Vea went down.
Like DR I also think Suh is incredibly important to the D-Line, but only because Vea got hurt. When both are healthy, they play entirely different positions on the DL.
But the pass rush really came alive when Suh and Vea were on the field.
I hope Barret knows this. He prolly does, but won’t admit it in negotiations.
Before breaking the bank on Barrett, I’ll be curious what other options are out there, who gets cut for cap reasons. And how many would like to be a Buc?
If McGinnis is correct, and Tampa is the best fit for Barrett, imagine the inner angst if Barrett goes somewhere else and underperforms for those Big Bucks, how he won’t be the BMOC as he is in Tampa.
Pay the guy, but don’t be silly about it.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:37 pm
No sure how you can let this guy go. DEF RULES, Wille Mcginnis didn’t mention Suh becuase they were only discussing free agency pass rushers. Watt was also one. I say find away to keep him he can’t be blocked.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:49 pm
If we sign Shaq or Godwin we will be limited on other free agent Gronk, Suh etc. But if you can get David for 11 or 12 mil you could be a lot more flexible. Looks like Shaq is trying to break the bank and rumor has it the bucs are going to tag him. If they tag Chris we are going to lose two great defensive players in Shaq and David. It would be nearly impossible to replace them both without having to pay the price.
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:50 pm
There is too much talent in the receiving core to worry about losing Godwin. Shaq would be much harder to replace. Let Lenny go and pick up White or Burkhead for $3.5 mil. White may cost a bit more but no where close to what Lenny will demand.
February 23rd, 2021 at 5:32 pm
Shaq isn’t going anywhere, if you can’t resign him, you tag him again. But everything sounds like he wants to resign, so they need to get the deal done.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:08 pm
Shaq and lenny are the two I’m most worrued about losing..i believe the rest are all back.
February 23rd, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Sorry, I just don’t think Shaq is worth a bank breaking contract. He had 8 sack before the playoffs I think and I don’t remember him making QBs uneasy durning the regular season, even if his QB pressure was high. Vita and Suh, more just Vita, make Shaq look great. So I wouldn’t break the bank on him.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:06 am
“Remember when [Seattle] had Michael Bennett?”
Yeah. We remember.