Shaquil Barrett

Jets “Highly Motivated” To Add Jadeveon Clowney

Following Jadeveon Clowney‘s visit with the Jets earlier this month, the team is focused on getting a deal finalized. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Jets are “highly motivated” to sign the veteran edge rusher to a contract. Schultz notes that the two sides have been in “constant contact” since their in-person meeting.

[RELATED: Panthers To Meet With Jadeveon Clowney]

Since losing Bryce Huff to the Eagles, the Jets have been hunting for some reinforcement on the edge. As Schultz notes, the Jets were in the running for Shaquil Barrett “until the very end,” but they lost out on that sweepstakes when the pass rusher signed with the Dolphins.

Now, they’re shifting their focus to Clowney, who is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The former first-overall pick got into 17 games (15 starts) for the Ravens in 2023, finishing with 9.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded Clowney 18th among 112 qualifying edge defenders.

In New York, Clowney would slide right into the rotational pass-rush role previously held by Huff, who finished last season with 10 sacks. While Huff didn’t start a game last year, he still got close to 500 defensive snaps playing alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. For comparison’s sake, Clowney garnered 654 snaps with the Ravens in 2023.

We heard previously that the Ravens were looking to retain the veteran, and Clowney also met with the Panthers during his free agency tour. According to Schultz, both of those teams remain in the hunt for the free agent, but it sounds like the Jets have been especially active in finalizing a deal.

Dolphins To Sign OLB Shaquil Barrett

After seeing his Buccaneers tenure come to an expected end, Shaquil Barrett became one of the top veteran edge-rushing options on the market. He has now found a new home, having agreed to a deal with the Dolphins (h/t Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz).

Barrett will land a one-year Dolphins deal worth up to $9MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will be team No. 3 for Barrett, who began his career in Denver before ascending to a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher in Tampa. The Bucs were open to bringing Barrett back at a reduced rate, but their recent cap-casualty decision will lead the former UDFA to another Florida destination.

This signing will reunite Barrett with Bradley Chubb; the two were teammates on the 2018 Broncos. Chubb and Von Miller served as Denver’s top edge rushers that year, and Barrett angled for more playing time by taking a “prove it” Bucs deal in 2019. The former Miller sidekick certainly proved it in Tampa, leading the NFL in sacks in 2019 and playing a lead role in the Bucs going from the No. 5 seed to a Super Bowl title a year later.

Mounting consistent pressure on Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes to close out the Bucs’ Super Bowl LV-winning season, Barrett then scored a four-year, $72MM deal. Barrett collected his second Pro Bowl nod in 2021, a 10-sack season, but saw the 2022 campaign stall his momentum. After sustained a torn Achilles midway through the ’22 season, Barrett only produced 4.5 sacks and eight QB hits last season. That production and a restructure-generated high cap hit for 2024 made Barrett a Bucs release candidate.

Barrett now moves into position to return to a role as a rotational rusher. Should Chubb and Jaelan Phillips recover from their ACL and Achilles tears, respectively, they will be Miami’s starters with Barrett the top bench rusher. After the Dolphins needed to turn to veteran free agents to fill out their roster late last season, they are planning ahead this time. They will bet on Barrett, 31, regaining some of his pre-injury form being nearly two years removed from his setback.

FA Notes: Chiefs, Jones, Evans, Titans, Pats, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, Jags, Bucs, Rams

Buzz about the Chiefs re-signing Chris Jones surfaced last week, and while that trail has gone a bit cold, some optimism still exists the defending champions can keep their top defender off the market. Many around the league do not expect Jones to leave Kansas City, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but they do not anticipate a discount coming to pass. Jones stuck to his guns last year during a holdout that cost him more than $3MM between fines and a missed game check; that would make it rather shocking if he agreed to a team-friendly deal now.

The Chiefs reaching the $27-$28MM-per-year range should help move this close to the finish line, Fowler adds. That said, Jones could probably — given the cap spike — make a run at Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM AAV standard and the position’s guarantee record (Quinnen Williams‘ $66MM) if he reaches free agency. The Chiefs were not willing to go near the Donald AAV neighborhood during talks last year, and it will surely take a monster offer to keep Jones from testing free agency now.

With the legal tampering period less than a week away, here is the latest free agency news:

  • The Chiefs were also among the teams interested in Mike Evans, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who details what would have been a big market for the veteran wide receiver. Evans opted to re-sign with the Bucs on a frontloaded deal that included $29MM fully guaranteed. The Falcons, Giants, Jaguars, Panthers, Patriots, Rams and Titans were preparing to see what it could take to lure Evans out of Tampa. High-profile FAs regularly use the Combine to gauge markets before the legal tampering period, and Evans evidently determined this Bucs deal compared favorably to what he could have collected on the market. But with Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. franchise-tagged, Evans would have been the top WR available. That distinction may now fall to Calvin Ridley.
  • Speaking of the Bucs, they are not ruling out a reunion with Shaquil Barrett at a reduced rate, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes. Tampa Bay cut Barrett last week, removing an $18MM-per-year contract from their payroll. Barrett stands to generate interest as a street free agent, but the former Super Bowl standout and NFL single-season sack leader is going into an age-32 season and coming off a 4.5-sack showing in 2023.
  • Darnell Mooney may be one of the players who could benefit from Evans, Pittman and Higgins being off the market. Despite the Bears target failing to eclipse 500 receiving yards in each of the past two years, he posted a 1,000-yard season in 2021 and has been in a low-volume passing offense. Teams figure to check in on the deep threat, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler suggests the Chiefs and Titans as potential players. The Chiefs’ receiver woes were well documented last season, and they recently cut Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Titans beat out the Chiefs for DeAndre Hopkins last year, but he is going into an age-32 season and signed for just one more year. Treylon Burks has also not shown much consistency yet.
  • Barring 11th-hour deals, this year’s safety market will feature Xavier McKinney and Kamren Curl. These two could do quite well without Antoine Winfield Jr. and Kyle Dugger in the mix, with ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan noting Curl’s market could come in around $14MM per year. A line of demarcation may emerge after these NFC East starters, with Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline adding a lucrative second wave should not be expected to transpire at this position. This is how the 2023 market played out, with a gulf forming between Jessie Bates and the field. Though, multiple others (Juan Thornhill, Vonn Bell, Donovan Wilson) collected eight-figure guarantees.
  • The Rams have talked terms with Kevin Dotson‘s camp, per GM Les Snead. They expect both he and center Coleman Shelton to hit the market. Dotson delivered a big contract year and should be expected to become one of the top earners on a crowded guard market. The Rams want Shelton back as well.

Buccaneers To Release OLB Shaquil Barrett

In need of retaining several key members of their 2023 team, the Buccaneers have a few likely salary cap casualties. One of those has long been believed to be outside linebacker Shaquil Barrettand he is indeed set to see his time in Tampa Bay come to an end.

The Buccaneers will release Barrett, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The two-time Super Bowl winner was owed an option bonus of $15.04MM on the fifth day of the new league year. Rather than absorbing that cap charge, Tampa Bay will cut bait after Barrett’s five-year run with the team.

This move will come in the form of a post-June 1 release, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms. Taking that route will allow the team to spread out Barrett’s $26.67MM dead cap figure across two seasons. The Bucs will be hit with $9.27MM in dead money in 2024 and $17.4MM next year. They will save $4.9MM in cap space for this season, but only after June 1.

Barrett recently admitted he was likely to be released this offseason given his burdensome cap hit. The 31-year-old was owed $17MM in 2024 and he was due to carry a cap hit of $14.19MM, along with a charge of $29.43MM in a void year in 2025. One of many Bucs veterans to have their contracts restructured in recent years, Barrett’s release will be part of the process of Tampa Bay clearing out financial wiggle room in the post-Tom Brady era. The modest cap savings will not be available during the opening wave of free agency, but it will still help as the team aims to retain important members of the squad which went to the divisional round of the postseason.

Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. are each pending free agents (although the latter is likely to receive the franchise tag). A new contract for Mayfield in particular will be an expensive priority, given his success in his debut Tampa season. Barrett, by contrast, delivered underwhelming totals in 2023 despite managing to play in 18 combined regular season and playoff games coming off an Achilles tear the previous season. The two-time Pro Bowler posted 4.5 sacks in 2023, after recording three in eight contests the year prior.

Those totals mark a stark contrast to Barrett’s 19.5 sacks in 2019. That figure led the league and set a single-season franchise record. The Colorado State product also delivered four sacks in the 2020 postseason to help Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl that year; after a 10-sack campaign the following season, though, things have not gone according to plan. Barrett will now turn his attention to free agency in the hopes of regaining his previous form in a new environment.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, will move forward with an inexpensive edge contingent including the likes of Anthony NelsonJoe Tryon-Shoyinka and YaYa Diaby. The latter finished tied for fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after he delivered 7.5 sacks in 2023. Another investment along the edge via the draft could be in play for Tampa Bay, or the team could dip into the secondary free agent market if sufficient funds for a Barrett replacement exist. Entering today, the Buccaneers had $43.68MM in cap space with a slew of major financial decisions still to make.

Buccaneers Want To Re-Sign LB Lavonte David; No Baker Mayfield Talks Yet

The Buccaneers’ interest in retaining Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr. has been fairly well documented at this point, but the organization wants to retain one of its other Super Bowl starters. Lavonte David remains in the team’s plans.

Wrapping his 12th year with the Bucs, David is still playing at a high level. The veteran defender led the team with 134 tackles — his most since 2015 — and produced 4.5 sacks (his most since 2016). While Devin White‘s propensity for freelancing has undercut his athleticism, David has offered the team much more consistency. And the Bucs are placing a priority on David finishing his career in Tampa, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes.

While White could well be on the move after a disappointing contract year in which he saw his role decrease, David still looks to have a great chance of playing another season in Tampa. David, 33, played out a one-year, $4.5MM contract. If the Bucs do not re-sign David before the start of the 2024 league year on March 13, they will be hit with a $2.67MM dead-money charge. That is unlikely to faze a team that spent a season with a $35.1MM in Tom Brady dead money on its books.

One of this era’s best off-ball linebackers, David’s Pro Bowl count is lacking (one) due to the NFL still grouping rush linebackers and non-rush ‘backers together. David, however, is a three-time All-Pro who is the team’s second-leading tackler. Only Derrick Brooks (1,713) has more than David (1,480) among Buccaneers. David played 15 games this season, rating as Pro Football Focus’ No. 28 overall linebacker.

After carrying more than $70MM in dead money this year, the Bucs are projected to hold more than $37MM in cap space. The statuses of Evans, Winfield and Baker Mayfield will likely cut into that figure and require more work. The franchise tag figures to come out, with Winfield the cheapest of Tampa Bay’s options (the safety tenure is projected to be $17.2MM). The Bucs, however, have done quite well in retaining their top free agents in recent years. They let Shaquil Barrett, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean test free agency before re-signing each over the past three years.

Barrett acknowledged recently he is probably on the cap-casualty radar. If the Bucs designate the veteran sack artist as a post-June 1 cut, they would save $4.9MM. Void years and a restructure have Barrett’s through-2024 deal (four years, $68MM) sitting as a rather onerous figure on Tampa Bay’s payroll. Barrett is due a $15MM roster bonus if he is on the team as of the fifth day of the 2024 league year, Laine adds. The 31-year-old veteran’s situation will be one to monitor; coming back from an Achilles tear, Barrett tallied just 4.5 sacks in 16 games.

Both Mayfield and the Bucs want to extend this partnership, but the quarterback confirmed (via The Athletic’s Mike Jones) no talks have taken place yet. Mayfield put together a strong playoff outing to lead the Bucs to a Round 1 win over the Eagles. That brought the 2023 UFA signing an additional $250K, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

March 2023, which saw three midlevel veterans sign for between $25MM and $40MM per year, can be labeled a broad price range for Mayfield. Even eclipsing the Geno Smith AAV — on a three-year, $75MM deal — would be an achievement for Mayfield, who could only command a one-year deal worth $4MM. Then again, Smith’s contract represents the floor for established QBs. Mayfield could conceivably move toward the Daniel Jones price point, with ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano mentioning $40MM as a logical place for talks to end. That would put the Bucs to the test, seeing as Brady never topped $25MM per year (though, his money was fully guaranteed).

Building a roster with Mayfield at $40MM per annum would be much more difficult, but the market the former No. 1 pick would command if he reached free agency — as a few teams will be looking for veteran options — will work against the Bucs this time around. Given his value fluctuation in recent years, Mayfield will be one of this year’s most interesting free agents.

NFL Restructures: 49ers, Humphrey, Barrett, Teller

The NFL has an offseason rule called the Top 51 rule. The Top 51 rule dictates that, from the start of the new NFL league year until the beginning of the regular season, only the top 51 contracts (in terms of salary cap hit) count against a team’s salary cap. With the 2023 regular season starting tomorrow, the Top 51 rule expired at 4pm today.

This means that each team in the NFL was forced to add two more contracts to their salary cap totals. If a team was flirting with the ceiling of the salary cap, the addition of two more contracts may push them above the limit. While that may not have been the case for all of the following teams, these front offices decided to take advantage of the timing to clear up some cap space, according to ESPN’s Field Yates:

  • The 49ers did double-duty, restructuring the contracts of tight end George Kittle and offensive tackle Trent Williams. For Kittle, the team converted $10.57MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end of the deal, clearing up $8.46MM of cap space. For Williams, San Francisco converted $18.24MM of the left tackle’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, also adding a single void year to the end of the deal. Williams’ adjustment cleared $14.59MM of cap space. The $23.04MM of cap space cleared in the restructures likely had less to do with the Top 51 rule and much more to do with star pass rusher Nick Bosa‘s record-setting extension.
  • The Ravens used the opportunity to adjust star cornerback Marlon Humphrey‘s contract. Baltimore converted $9.42MM of Humphrey’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus and added a single void year to the end of the deal. The adjustment created $7.54MM of cap space for the Ravens.
  • The Seahawks decided to create space by restructuring safety Jamal Adams‘ contract. Seattle converted $9.92MM of Adams’ 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, creating $6.61MM of cap space for the team.
  • The Buccaneers also targeted the contract of a defensive veteran, adjusting the numbers of pass rusher Shaquil Barrett. For Barrett, Tampa Bay converted $13.09MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end of the contract. The restructure clears up $10.47MM of cap space for the Buccaneers.
  • The Titans also addressed the contract of a pass rusher, restructuring Harold Landry‘s current deal. Tennessee converted $11MM of Landry’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus, clearing up $8.25MM of cap space for the team.
  • The Broncos continue to miss the contributions of wide receiver Tim Patrick, who will once again miss the entire season, but Denver still found some value for him in a contract restructure. The team converted $6MM of Patrick’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus to clear up $3MM of cap space.
  • The Browns created some cap space by restructuring the deal of veteran offensive guard Wyatt Teller. Cleveland converted $11.42MM of Teller’s 2023 base salary into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the end his deal in order to create $9.14MM of cap space for the team.

Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Defense

While the NFL’s top 2023 cap hits go to players on offense, a number of pass rushers are tied to lofty figures as well. None check in higher than Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams.

Williams and Chiefs D-tackle Chris Jones carry high contract-year cap hits, while the Steelers’ two front-seven cornerstones each are set to go into training camp with cap figures north of $20MM. As the salary cap climbed to $224.8MM this year, here are the top defensive cap figures as camps near:

  1. Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): $32.26MM
  2. T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $29.37MM
  3. Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $29.18MM
  4. Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $28.29MM
  5. Aaron Donald, DL (Rams): $26MM
  6. Arik Armstead, DT (49ers): $23.95MM
  7. Cameron Heyward, DL (Steelers): $22.26MM
  8. C.J. Mosley, LB (Jets): $21.48MM
  9. Jonathan Allen, DT (Commanders): $21.44MM
  10. Shaquil Barrett, OLB (Buccaneers): $21.25MM
  11. Grady Jarrett, DT (Falcons): $20.63MM
  12. Marlon Humphrey, CB (Ravens): $19.99MM
  13. Shaquille Leonard, LB (Colts): $19.79MM
  14. Kevin Byard, S (Titans): $19.62MM
  15. Adoree’ Jackson, CB (Giants): $19.08MM
  16. Harold Landry, OLB (Titans): $18.8MM
  17. Justin Simmons, S (Broncos): $18.15MM
  18. Jamal Adams, S (Seahawks): $18.11MM
  19. Matt Judon, DE (Patriots): $18.107MM
  20. Quandre Diggs, S (Seahawks): $18.1MM
  21. Nick Bosa, DE (49ers): $17.9MM
  22. DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $17.25MM
  23. Emmanuel Ogbah, DE (Dolphins): $17.19MM
  24. DeMarcus Lawrence, DE (Cowboys): $17.11MM
  25. Eddie Jackson, S (Bears): $17.1MM

The Chiefs are working toward a second extension agreement with Jones, who is in the final season of a four-year, $80MM contract. A new deal with the star inside pass rusher would free up cap space, and DeAndre Hopkins is believed to be monitoring this situation.

As for Williams, the Giants had wanted to adjust his deal to reduce his eye-opening cap number. As of mid-June, however, no extension appeared to be on the team’s radar. The previous Giants regime signed off on the 2021 Williams extension (three years, $63MM). The Giants are also uninterested — for the time being, at least — in extending Jackson, who was also a Dave Gettleman-era defensive addition.

Donald is in the second season of a three-year, $95MM deal. The Rams gave Donald a landmark raise last year, convincing the all-everything D-tackle to squash retirement talk. A no-trade clause exists in Donald’s contract, which pays out its guarantees this year. Mosley remains tied to the $17MM-per-year deal the Mike Maccagnan regime authorized with the Jets. That contract, which reset the off-ball linebacker market in 2019, still has two seasons remaining on it due to the deal tolling after Mosley’s 2020 COVID-19 opt-out call. The Jets restructured the deal last year.

Washington now has two D-tackles tied to deals of at least $18MM per year. While Daron Payne‘s pact is worth more ($22.5MM AAV), higher cap hits on that deal will come down the road. Three years remain on Allen’s 2021 agreement. At safety, no team is spending like the Seahawks. In addition to the big-ticket deals authorized for Adams and Diggs, Seattle gave ex-Giants starter Julian Love a two-year, $6MM accord in March.

New Titans GM Ran Carthon attempted to give Byard a pay cut. That request did not go over well, but the standout safety remains with the team and has not requested a trade. Tennessee re-signed Landry on a five-year, $87.5MM deal in 2022; the veteran edge rusher has yet to play on that deal due to the ACL tear he sustained just before last season.

The 49ers can bring Bosa’s number down via an extension, which has long been on the team’s docket. As San Francisco extended Deebo Samuel just after training camp began last year, Bosa received back-burner treatment due to the fifth-year option. The star defensive end’s price undoubtedly went up during the waiting period, with the former No. 2 overall pick earning Defensive Player of the Year acclaim in the fourth year of his rookie contract.

Bucs LB Shaq Barrett Suffers Torn Achilles

OCTOBER 31: The Buccaneers announced on Monday that Barrett has officially been placed on IR. That opens up a roster spot for a potential replacement, though no players of his caliber will be readily available so close to the trade deadline, of course. Tampa Bay sits in the middle of the pack with respect to cap space.

OCTOBER 28, 11:43am: Barrett’s MRI confirmed the tear, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This is a tough break for Barrett and the Buccaneers, given the outside linebacker’s age and the team’s 3-5 record.

 OCTOBER 28, 8:32am: Reeling after a fifth loss in six games, the Buccaneers are staring at an equation that does not include their top pass rusher. Although tests are still to come, the team fears Shaq Barrett suffered a torn Achilles during Thursday night’s defeat, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).

Barrett will undergo an MRI on Friday, but these ominous reports usually precede major injuries. This stands to be Barrett’s longest absence as a pro and deal a significant blow to Tampa Bay’s defense, a unit already battling uphill due to the state of the team’s offense.

Set to turn 30 next month, Barrett has been the Bucs’ top rush presence since signing a one-year deal in 2019. The former Broncos UDFA led the NFL with 19.5 sacks that year, prompting the Bucs to join nearly half the league in using their franchise tag during the 2020 offseason. Barrett is now signed to a four-year, $68MM deal — one that runs through the 2024 season.

The Bucs have not needed to play without Barrett for an extended stretch since he joined the team. The Colorado State product has missed just three games over the past three-plus seasons. He and Jason Pierre-Paul were instrumental in delivering the Bucs their second Super Bowl title, providing consistent pressure on Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes to close out that championship march.

Barrett combined for four sacks and eight quarterback hits in the Bucs’ final two games in 2020; his Super Bowl LV dominance led Todd Bowles‘ unit becoming the third defense to hold an opponent without a touchdown in a Super Bowl. As the Bucs brought back their entire championship core in 2021, they gave Barrett his sought-after deal.

After Barrett made his second Pro Bowl in 2021, the team moved on from Pierre-Paul. The elder edge rusher ended up signing with the Ravens, facing his former team Thursday night. Tampa Bay now has 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in place as its top healthy pass rusher. Tryon-Shoyinka has 1.5 sacks and three QB hits this season. Backup edge rushers Carl Nassib, who returned to the Bucs after a Raiders stay this offseason, and Anthony Nelson have two apiece. Both should be expected to play bigger roles for Bowles’ defense, should Barrett indeed have sustained this major injury. Nelson will replace Barrett as a starter.

No guaranteed money remains on Barrett’s contract. Next season will be his 10th in the NFL; he is set to count $21.65MM against the cap in 2023.

Restructured Contracts: Saints, Floyd, Hyde, Barrett

While teams are currently focused on adding free agents, some front offices are looking to carve out some extra cap space. We’ve collected some of today’s restructured deals below:

  • The Saints opened up some extra cap space earlier today. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the team restructured the contracts of defensive tackle David Onyemata and offensive tackle James Hurst. The moves saved the team an extra $7.015MM. Onyemata inked a three-year, $27MM deal with the Saints in 2020, and he already reworked his contract last offseason. A year ago yesterday, Hurst inked a three-year, $9MM extension with New Orleans.
  • The Rams opened up $12MM in cap space by reworking Leonard Floyd‘s contract, according to Yates (on Twitter). Floyd signed a four-year, $64MM extension with the organization last year. In two years with the Rams, the edge rusher has collected 20 sacks, and he’s added another four in six playoff games.
  • The Bills converted $5.68MM of safety Micah Hyde’s contract into a signing bonus, opening $4.54MM in cap space, per Yates (on Twitter). The veteran signed a two-year, $19.25MM extension with Buffalo last offseason. Hyde has spent the past five seasons in Buffalo, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods while only missing a pair of regular season games.
  • The Buccaneers restructured Shaq Barrett’s contract, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The move should open up just under $10MM in cap space, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (on Twitter). After playing the 2020 season under the franchise tag, Barrett inked a four-year, $72MM deal ($36MM guaranteed) with the Buccaneers last offseason.

Buccaneers Activate Shaq Barrett, Place Richard Sherman On IR

The Buccaneers received good and bad news on the health front Tuesday. The defending champions activated pass rusher Shaquil Barrett from the reserve/COVID-19 list but moved cornerback Richard Sherman to injured reserve for the second time, a move that ends his season. 

In 15 games this year, Barrett has produced 51 total tackles, three forced fumbles and a team-leading 10 sacks. His return would be a major boost to the team’s pass rush and defense as a whole. His play from a dominant postseason last year carried over into 2021, as he was voted to the Pro Bowl a second time.

Head coach Bruce Arians expects to also have fellow outside linebacker Jason-Pierre Paul back, along with starting running back Leonard Fournette.

As for Sherman, the fact that he was placed on IR again means his Achilles injury was too much to overcome in time for the playoffs. He missed the team’s regular-season finale and had only played sparingly since his first two contests in Tampa Bay. His 11th NFL season ends with him totaling 11 tackles and one interception.

The Bucs will look to defend their Super Bowl title, beginning Sunday afternoon when the host the Eagles.