According to Adam Schefter, the Buccaneers are releasing OLB Shaquil Barrett in a cap-saving move.
As we noted in our cap casualty watch list, Barrett was due a $15 million option bonus next month. Tampa Bay frees itself of that obligation by cutting him now.
It’s likely the Buccaneers are using a June 1 designation, which will free up $5 million in cap space for the team after that date and split Barrett’s $26.7 million dead money hit over the next two seasons. Barrett will count $9.3 million in dead money this season.
Barrett, 31, signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2014. He was waived coming out of the preseason and re-signed to Denver’s practice squad.
After bouncing back and forth between the practice squad and active roster, Barrett landed on the active roster at the end of his rookie year. He played out the remainder of his rookie contract.
Barrett signed with the Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent in 2019 to a one-year, $4 million deal and was franchised in 2020. He re-signed to a four-year, $68 million extension in 2021.
In 2023, Barrett appeared in 16 games for the Buccaneers and recorded 52 tackles, three tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception returned for a touchdown and two pass deflections.
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