The salary cup numbers game is starting to heat up as the Buccaneers release offensive lineman Shaquil Barrett.
The two-time Pro Bowler was set to earn just $1.2 million as a base player but his departure releases $14 million from the salary cap budget.
“It’s never a seamless move,” Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles told Good Morning Football of Barrett’s release. “It’s always, you know, from a personal side, you get very close to these guys as well as they do the coaches, and you have a relationship that never goes away.
Three players entering free agency are quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and safety Antoine Winfield.
“From a business side, in order for us to get better and bring in new talent and upgrade the team, we have to get some of these things done, and they’re hard decisions, but Shaq has been great for us over the past five years. He came in, he made a heck of a name for himself. He’s one of the best human beings you could ever meet, and he’s still got some great playing abilities left in him.”
Barrett has enjoyed a stellar career winning two Superbowl titles, one with the Broncos and one with the Bucs.
His first season in Tampa Bay saw him lead the league in sacks, 19.5, in 2019, but last season he struggled with 4.5 sacks in 16 games.
“These tough decisions have to be made for us to move on,” Bowles said. “He understands that, and we understand that. And who knows, we’ll see what happens down the line,” the HC concluded.
