Bucs Shaq Barrett ‘coming with a vengeance’ next season
Tampa Bay Bucs star pass rusher Shaq Barrett played a pivotal part in pushing the franchise toward a second Super Bowl win.
Despite that being the case, Barrett voiced during Thursday’s press conference that he is more than motivated to prove he’s worth the four-year, $72 million he inked this offseason. (h/t Pro Football Talk)
Want $250 to bet on NFL futures?
“I just want to have the best season possible that y’all have ever seen from a defensive end/outside linebacker. Like, I’m coming with a vengeance this year,” Barrett said during his Thursday press conference. “Even though we won the Super Bowl, I’m still hungry. I want to show my supporters that they’re right for supporting me and show the doubters that they’re wrong for doubting me.
“So I mean, I’m coming. I want to be, individually, Defensive Player of the Year. If they want to give me MVP because my season should be MVP-level — like I’m coming, man. I won’t be denied at all this year. And I’m so excited to just have this time off so when we get back I’m gonna be ready to go. This year’s going to be real big for me.”
Read: Celtics Aggressively Looking To Trade Kemba Walker
Barrett experienced a notable drop in production from his breakout 2019 campaign that saw him notch a league-best 19.5 sacks. He recorded 8.0 sacks and had 4.0 in the playoffs, including 3.0 in the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Bucs are banking on Barrett being a key cog defensive to anchor their pass rush. Tampa Bay is the early favorite to secure a second straight Super Bowl title.
