Shaq Barrett Unhappy With Stats, Implies He’s Healthier Than Before Achilles Tear
November 28th, 2023
Unhappy.
Comments from Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett yesterday were equally encouraging, eye-popping and disturbring at hte same time.
Shaq returned this season after tearing his Achilles during an Oct. 2022 game against the Ravens. He’s made a heck of a comeback and was full-go from Day 1 of the regular season. Shaq even played good ball in Weeks 1 and 2.
The iconic Bucs edge rusher hit Kirk Cousins twice on opening day and had three solo tackles. A week later, he put an exclamation point on the Bucs win against the Bears with a pick-6 and a sack.
But through 11 games Shaq has just four sacks and eight QB hits. That’s not the Shaq of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Don’t blame the Achilles, Shaq said on the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday. In fact, Shaq made it sound like he feels better and stronger than he did before the injury.
“I feel the best I’ve felt in a long time, honestly,” Shaq said after acknowledging he’s 100 percent. “I used to play around 240 or 245 pounds; I’ve been playing around 245-248 this year. But it’s because I did put on a little more muscle. I [was] lifting a lot this offseason. … I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time. I mean, that’s why I be so disappointed because my numbers don’t show that, though. Like so it be hard for people to believe — probably hard for me to believe sometimes — ‘hey, you can’t be feeling this good but then you got out there and don’t [put up stats].’ I think I’m doing good in my performances, but like statistically I’m underperforming. I don’t like that. I don’t like that.”
Joe loves the candor for Shaq, and Joe is very happy to hear that Shaq feels great. Perhaps age has caught up to Shaq, as in he feels great but he’s lost a few drops of juice that got him closer to quarterbacks. Shaq turned 31 two weeks ago.
Joe will take the optimistic road today. If Shaq feels so great, then maybe he’s on the cusp of a breakout game or two. Sacks do come in bunches.
Hopefully, that plays out, as the Bucs are rather locked in to Shaq contractually for the 2024 season.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:01 am
Shaq should always be in the hearts and thoughts of all bucs fans and anyone who knows his story, God bless him and his family and hope that he has a great run at the end of this season
November 28th, 2023 at 9:03 am
Shaq has not been as effective and it’s most likely for a couple of reasons. #1 Age-Father Time is undefeated. #2 There is no production from the rest of this defensive front. I’m talking about Hall and JTS. For the 3-4 to be effective, DEs have to make an impact.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:19 am
Think Shaq is having a lot of issues with the loss of his daughter and of course he and Vea are getting no help. Jason made a huge mistake getting rid of JPP, and Suh. Neither JTS or Hall deserve to be starters – both are pathetic and will never develop into anything more than backups. The Indy game just highlights how weak, soft and ineffective they are. 6 more games until the whole team is blown up.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:20 am
What Duthtsy said
November 28th, 2023 at 9:41 am
Perhaps Shaq can have a good game against a poor Caarolina OL and a bad qb like Bryce Young but Bucsfanman makes a good point in that busts like JTS and Logan Hall are worthless and even Vea has his off days. Maybe Ya Ya can also have a breakout game and maybe Kancey could make a highlight reel getting at Bryce Young. On the other hand it is just as or more likely that Bowles D packages with soft zone and lots of cushions will let Young have a day like CJ Stroud or Purdy. I want the Bucs to win but with the current coaches and no accountability for making the same mistakes week after week, I feel the Bucs will be mega-fortunate to beat the Panthers who will probably come out with some fire and a few new looks thanks to Reich getting launched.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:48 am
I fear Shaq Barrett will be released soon to clear up cap space.
While there are some players I think we MUST hold onto, he may not be one of them if we can save money.
I think Devin, unfortunately, may be toast.
Lavante David will probably retire.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:49 am
Worst thing about Shaq is he counts 30 million total against the Cap from 25 to 28. 4 years he is not on the team.
Our salary cap guy is way worse than the Saints.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:50 am
His production doesn’t justify the money he’s getting, always comes down to that
November 28th, 2023 at 10:24 am
He’s a great player.
Everyone needs to support him.
I pray to God he will get to 10 sacks.
God bless this man and his family.
There would be no Super Bowl without Shaq, JPP and Suh.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:39 am
Shaq’s main problem IMO is that he NEEDS guys like Suh & JPP playing with him to keep from being the opponent’s focal point week-to-week. We’ve seen dry spells before with him when others went out with injury, etc. He doesn’t have those other beasts this year to command attention & thus his production is down.
Like Bonzai, I don’t think the Bucs will keep him past this year. When production doesn’t equal salary, it’s time to wave bye-bye.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:55 am
That sounds like a guy who knows who it’s very possible that he may lose his current well paying contract this coming offseason. He does sound like a good guy and I still feel for him after the loss of his child in the offseason. But the Buccaneers are running a business at the end of the day. I bet the Bucs roster looks dramatically different come Week 1 of the 2024 season. Bucs also have number 9 pick in the draft right now and the team may, may be tanking higher higher draft pick going forward. Go Bucs!
November 28th, 2023 at 11:18 am
The den of depression is the only name for RayJay rn. I put my seatbelt on because these last 6 are gonna be really bumpy.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:39 am
Shaq is only as good as those around him. He doesn’t elevate the game of others, but man-beasts (Suh/JPP) taking on double teams elevate his game. Not worth the $$
November 28th, 2023 at 12:21 pm
go back to being your 2019 self
November 28th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
Barrett plays in a smoke and mirrors defense that confuses its own players more than the offense. He doesnt have a consistent bookend to work with (play Diaby more). Look at the JTS sack- the whole pass rush twists to the right, while JTS fills an open spot on the left that the qb just happens to run to. Bowles schemes are too complex and cute. Does Vita Vea really need to twist and stunt in the middle? We have a lot of big athletic kids on the dline. Not sure why you dont just simplify it to one game and let them beat matchups. Anyone else anticipate bad run fits, when the line is twisting and stunting out of position? 45 is always taking bad angles in those plays-he is likely out of position as well. Glad Winfield can tackle, because he literally is the last line of defense in these busted plays.
November 28th, 2023 at 2:19 pm
Eh imo whatever you get from shaq this year was a win-win. He’s 31 coming off one of the worst injuries a player can come back from. Throw on his unfortunate incident with his family I wasn’t expecting Shaquille to have 19 sacks. I wanted that for him as a man but I knew it would be unlikely. Hopefully he finishes the year strong anyone coming at him for lack of production was really expecting to much in the first place. Unlike some of the players on d shaq isn’t out of place or shows a lack of effort or freelancing.
November 28th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Shaq himself has said that he was always a marginal athlete, and any loss of physical ability at all, can really hurt someone who was already on the edge. I think he’s had an amazing career and truly maximized his abilities, but as it was pointed out, his age might have caught up with him, even if he feels great.
In a way, he’s sort of reminding me of Brate – although Shaq was a far superior player than Brate could ever be, they were both marginal from a physical standpoint, but squeezed every ounce of production they could get out of their bodies, and that is something that should be universally praised.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:08 pm
First year after a tear is always rough. He’s getting long in the tooth but if there is to be a real comeback, it will be next year.
November 28th, 2023 at 4:26 pm
BFM nailed it.
Shaq has been most effective when there was an OLB on the other side who opponents also feared (AKA Jason Pierre Paul) and the DEs / DLs were all getting pressure (AKA Suh + Vea + whoever).
We haven’t replaced JPP or Suh’s production. Maybe / hopefully Diaby and Kancey will be those guys, but they’re not there yet.