The New York Jets were apparently ever so close to landing a two-time Super Bowl champion in free agency. Then in familiar Jets fashion, disaster struck.
Veteran linebacker Shaq Barrett on Friday admitted that he very strongly considered signing with the Jets before ultimately striking a deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Barrett inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins worth up to $9 million.
Shaq Barrett Revealed Just How Close He Was To Signing With The New York Jets
Barrett spoke to CBS Sports radio host Zach Gelb on Friday about the last-minute twist in his free agency journey this month.
Barrett said that even he thought he was going to end up with the Jets before the Dolphins “came out of left field.” The longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneer admitted that the idea of moving to New York had initially intrigued him.
“My agent was talking to me about potentially going to [the New York Jets], and it was New York all the way up until … the day I ended up agreeing to terms with the Dolphins,” Barrett told Gelb. “And they just came out of left field, for real.
“I loved the prospect of going to New York. But Dolphins, they’re just more established as a team. They’re more proven at this point. And they’ve got some good guys in the room, like in my pass-rush room, so I was looking forward to partnering up with them guys. And no state tax, so that helps out a lot.”
Here is the clip of Shaq Barrett telling me he thought he was going to land with the Jets and then the Dolphins came out of nowhere and signed him last second. @CBSSportsRadio @560WQAM @WFAN660 https://t.co/4wte48xh1d pic.twitter.com/LDidrvABLY
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) March 22, 2024
Geography had also played a role in the decision. Garrett’s family, who had spent the last five years in Tampa Bay, didn’t need to move given that their patriarch was just going to move too far away.
Shaq Barrett Brings A Ton Of Veteran Experience To The Miami Dolphins
The Jets missed out on a proven commodity in Barrett, who has played in 11 postseason games and a couple of Super Bowls.
In 2019, Barrett led the NFL in sacks during his first year with the Buccaneers, tallying 19.5 sacks, 58 combined tackles, and 37 QB hits. Barrett also made the Pro Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2021, leading the team with 10.0 sacks and 22 QB hits.
Barrett’s numbers took a dip last season. In 16 games played, the 31-year-old pass rusher recorded 4.5 sacks, 52 combined tackles, and nine QB hits. But the veteran remained a dependable cog in the Buccaneers’ defensive system.