Should Shaq Barrett Get A Call?
July 24th, 2024
The landscape has changed.
If you believe Tampa Bay officials, the team dreaded parting with now-retired Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett after last season.
He quickly signed with Miami in free agency on a one-year deal for nearly $7 million guaranteed.
Shaq proclaimed he was hungry to prove the Bucs wrong and wanted to terrorize quarterbacks at 31 years old. Family-man Shaq attended spring practices in Miami and said in interviews that he was planning for his family to contiue living full-time in Tampa while he commuted home every week to visit.
That set off red flags for Joe.
Shaq’s got a bunch of kids, has made many tens of millions in the NFL and suffered a horrible family tragedy last year. It sounded like Shaq might not have been all-in on the Dolphins and was going to struggle balancing his life. Then Miami drafted a pass rusher in Round 1 and signed Calais Campbell.
Shaq announced plans to retire this month after saying he had been thinking about it for a while.
With Bucs newcomer veteran edge rusher Randy Gregory MIA and Tampa Bay having a need for more depth/quality at the position, Joe thinks it would be prudent for the Bucs to ask the Dolphins’ persmission to talk to Shaq.
Miami likely controls his rights, but Joe suspects the Dolphins wouldn’t mind releasing Shaq outright or for compensation tied to Shaq’s potential production in Tampa.
Perhaps Shaq really wants to play if he could live at home? Might his family actually encourage him to play, if it could be for one more season with the Bucs?
Joe could see the Bucs replacing Gregory with Shaq on a league-minimum contract with a bunch of incentives. Yaya Diaby raved about Shaq’s 2023 mentorship. Shaq could do the same for rookie Chris Braswell.
If Joe were Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht, Joe would find the appropriate way to contact Shaq to ask the magic question. Remember, Shaq’s a guy who doesn’t need the preseason to be ready to contribute and doesn’t need to learn Todd Bowles’ defense.
And most important, Joe would wager that Shaq is a much better player than Gregory.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:27 am
Joe: If he signed a contract with Miami, he is beholdin’ to the Dophins, they would want COMPENSATION!
July 24th, 2024 at 9:28 am
No, he’s retiring let him be, but invite him to camp to have him continue his mentorship of guys like Markees Watts who’s stated in interviews how much he’s learned just being around Shaq.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:31 am
If he’s willing, it would be a good move.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:33 am
Dude Says:
July 24th, 2024 at 9:28 am
No, he’s retiring let him be, but invite him to camp to have him continue his mentorship of guys like Markees Watts who’s stated in interviews how much he’s learned just being around Shaq.
^^^^^^^^^
That’s an excellent idea, Dude.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:35 am
So much goes on when you lose a child, especially suddenly. People say time will heal. It doesn’t. Their are so many regrets too. Shaq said he has been thinking about it for awhile and wants to concentrate on his family. They need him. He wants to help them with their dreams now. Shaq is a good and selfless man.
Fully agree with the mentorship idea. On another Joe post, a few people commented that maybe Shaq could drop by One Buc Place and help out too. That may be a great idea for him after the Miami contract is worked out. He is family at One Buc Place and that could be a workable situation for all. Would love to still see him and know how his family is doing.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:58 am
Shaq and the Bucs respect each other. Considering that Licht even considered Gregory tells me the Bucs would love to have Shaq back in any capacity. Who knows, maybe Shaq’s retirement might be influenced by Gregory’s no show? All this is up to Shaq, what does he want to do? I’d love to have him back playing or consulting.
July 24th, 2024 at 9:59 am
No. He retired. Leave him alone. He has called it time to move on.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:06 am
How about coach Shaq? If he’s as good a mentor as they’re saying, it makes sense.
As for a Gregory replacement, how about Yannick Ngakoue? They should at least be kicking the tires on this guy.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:08 am
A fine person who has endured the unimaginable. God bless him and his family.
Leave him be Joe.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:22 am
In other news:
“The Minnesota Vikings signed left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a four-year deal worth up to $113 million, his agency and the team announced Tuesday.
Darrisaw’s new pact includes $77 million guaranteed and $43.7 million guaranteed at signing. He is now under contract through 2029.”
Tristan should get a contract done soon!
July 24th, 2024 at 10:31 am
What Dude suggests.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:31 am
Shaq is awesome! And how many pass rushers ever get 20 sacks (19.5 bs 1/2 stat) let alone even sniff 15 sacks. Shaq is a legend in my book. Offer him anything he wants to do, even just the ability to hangout and use the facilities.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:33 am
Almost definitely better player still than Gregory, but more importantly he’s absolutely a better leader / teacher, which the young guys need. Wouldn’t expect a whole lot of production though.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:36 am
Sure…..mentoring is a good idea….but let’s not sign him…..we need to move on to our younger players……they’ll never develop if they don’t get snaps.
Love Shaq…..great Buc…..wish him well with his retirement……smart to get out while he’s relatively healthy.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:37 am
Interesting question
July 24th, 2024 at 10:39 am
Hearing bone crusher Jordan Whitehead talking about missing the Bucs’ team, it appears to be a common theme. These players are close and their families grow close. Tampa is great place to live, especially if you get paid like players do. Boats, jet skis, RV, sbs, dirt bikes, everything is on the table. Versus say living in Cleveland or Baltimore, DC or LA. Those places all suck and if you ain’t packin, you should be lol.
July 24th, 2024 at 10:43 am
Continuation of the stock the roster with veterans who were good 2-3 years ago mantra…let the young guys play
July 24th, 2024 at 11:00 am
Coach Barrett has a nice ring to it.
July 24th, 2024 at 11:06 am
With 7 million he could have a place in Miami and hire someone to shuttle the kids
whenever they missed their Daddy.
Joe thinks Bucs might be able to get him on a Vet minimum? Sure go ahead and insult the Man.
If Momma ain’t Happy then no body is Happy. Shaq saw first hand what that last year cost him.
July 24th, 2024 at 11:07 am
Shaq saw what that one more year cost Brady.
July 24th, 2024 at 11:07 am
I want to say trust Jason Licht regarding a Shaq return but after the Gregory signing I’m wavering. If Shaq wants to play and he can be had for low money and little compensation to Miami then sign him as a mentor and depth player.
Who, in their right mind, would sign a less than illustrious player involved in a lawsuit against the league over drug use ?
July 24th, 2024 at 11:17 am
Why do fans and writers always want to unearth retired players? Let me man get on with his life. He had a great run. Probably took a lot of beating working on the D-line since he was in high school. Have a great retirement Shaq. You’ll always be the guy making Mahomes run for his life one magic evening in Tampa.
July 24th, 2024 at 11:20 am
First day of training camp, and Joe brings up a guy who signed with Miami, then retired. Why Joe? Miami is lucky he retired, they almost wasted millions.
July 24th, 2024 at 11:21 am
Question #1 – Is Shaq OK with just being a rotational player playing @ 20 snaps per game?
Question #2 – Is Shaq OK with making the league minimum plus incentives?
Question #3 – Is Shaq healthy enough to still play in the NFL? He disappeared during the second half of the 2023 season.
Shaq had some great seasons here in Tampa but I really believe it is time for him to pass the torch and hopefully some of these young guns will step up.
July 24th, 2024 at 12:16 pm
This is pure speculation (as I am known for).
Shaq had a big contract with the Bucs. The Bucs liked Shaq.
Could the Gregory signing have been a ploy to get Shaq back a low money ? Maybe Jason had a way out of Gregory’s contract and crafted the deal in a way to lure Shaq back. If so, it was a master stroke. I’ll go with that ’cause the other scenario isn’t pretty.
July 24th, 2024 at 1:37 pm
Keep him as close as he is willing.
July 24th, 2024 at 1:43 pm
Shaq signed a $7 mil contract with the Dolphins, almost all guaranteed, and chose to retire instead of playing it out. More than likely he would’ve been a part-time player there. And oh BTW, he’s still getting paid big-bucks here.
Why would any player in his position want to play for vet minimum anywhere, and especially with the team that just released him? Let him retire in peace and enjoy it.
July 24th, 2024 at 1:54 pm
Miami owns his rights.
July 24th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
All up to Shaq. If it helps him to be around the guys, that would be a great consulting job.
July 24th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Amen Joe
No brainer to bring Shaq back and let the youngin’s learn how to be a pro on and off the field.
Can’t put a price on Mentorship and Shaq is the perfect dude!!!
July 24th, 2024 at 3:14 pm
100% they should call him. Give him what they were going to give Gregory. He would be great in the rotation, knows the defense, and is great for Yaya and Braswell to learn from.
July 24th, 2024 at 6:22 pm
shaq is simply outside the fold looking in rn…
with the gregory fiasco and all…and the bucs being one injury away from realistically needing him…
i think the bucs are quietly leaving the light on for him…
there is a potential return on the horizon…
and he just might have a little more juice in that achilles, being that he’s now 2 years removed from the injury
July 24th, 2024 at 7:54 pm
Worth a phone call for sure. Just to have this man back around and part of the club again would mean a lot. Give him a shout and let him know we still have a lotta love for him there in Tampa Bay!
July 25th, 2024 at 2:23 pm
Shaq outplays Gregory just by showing up.