2021 NFL free agency: 5 best fits for Shaq Barrett
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can’t get edge rusher Shaq Barrett to re-sign, here are five teams who should be making huge offers.
5. New York Jets
Not sure if Shaq Barrett would want to sign with the rebuilding Jets, but they do have a smart, young, defensive-minded head coach in Robert Saleh. New York has been looking for a pass rush over the past decade and largely come up. empty, but the combination of Barrett off the edge and Quinnen Williams pushing the pocket inside would be worth overpaying for, if that’s what it comes to.
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4. Carolina Panthers
Carolina is a young team with offensive weapons, but the defense is still lacking. The Panthers spent every pick of their 2020 NFL Draft on the defensive side of the ball and built a foundation, but they desperately need another edge rusher to pair with Brian Burns. Adding Barrett opposite him, and stealing him away from the NFC South favorite Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be a coup. The Panthers have the cap space, and should throw a ton of it at Barrett.
3. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are transitioning to a Cover 3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. It’s a defense that relies heavily on getting home with a four-man rush, and so Barrett would make a ton of sense to put on the opposite side of third-year man Maxx Crosby. In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, Las Vegas must harass quarterbacks and hasn’t been able to for years. Landing Barrett, who played his first five years in the division with the Denver Broncos, would be a steal.
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2. Cleveland Browns
If Cleveland is going to take the next step from playoff team to true contender, getting Barrett to play alongside Myles Garrett would be a massive move. The Browns have a nice offense anchored by a terrific line and the ground work of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Add in Shaq Barrett to create negative plays on defense, and suddenly Cleveland becomes one of the top contenders in the AFC behind the Kansas City Chiefs.
1. New England Patriots
Last year, the Patriots finally fell from the status of favorite. While their offense is the biggest problem, they had absolutely no pass rush to speak of as well. Barrett would immediately fix that issue, and provide Bill Belichick someone to scheme around in the front seven. Only the Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars have more cap space, so New England could make this move without thinking twice.
