With roughly $82 million in cap space, the Washington Commanders are capable of pulling off their biggest coup yet by acquiring a proven pass-rusher to shore up their defense.
On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they would release Shaquil Barrett because of his hefty cap charge. The two-time Pro Bowler was due a $15.04 million bonus next month, and releasing him would give them nearly $5 million in cap relief.
Barrett, 31, was a key contributor to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl-winning defense in 2020. His best individual season there was in 2019, where he recorded career-highs of 58 combined tackles (45 solo) and 19.5 sacks.
Since Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr., and Baker Mayfield are all hitting free agency for Tampa Bay, waiving Barrett is not a surprising move since he is not getting any younger. But still, he is a proven veteran who can help a lot of teams out there, including the Washington Commanders.
How Shaquil Barrett can help the Washington Commanders
With two of the team’s top three sack leaders – Chase Young and Montez Sweat – not finishing the 2023 campaign at the nation’s capital, getting Shaquil Barrett would instantly boost the Washington Commanders defense that finished 26th in sacks last season, with no player recording more than 6.5 sacks.
In 2023, Shaquil Barrett only had 4.5 sacks, which is low by his lofty standards, but he still managed to record 52 combined tackles (33 solo), one interception, one INT touchdown, two passes defended, and three forced fumbles.
With a new defensive coordinator in Joe Whitt Jr., Shaquil Barrett should be able to excel alongside the dynamic defensive duo of Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
The Washington Commanders are not the only team who will go for Shaquil Barrett
The Washington Commanders might find themselves in a bidding war for Shaquil Barrett, as the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens are also going to be keen on acquiring the two-time Pro Bowler.
Barrett played his first five NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos, and he could be interested in a reunion. However, they are struggling cap-wise, so they may need to make a few cuts to be in the running.
As for the Baltimore Ravens, they are at risk of losing Jadeveon Clowney and Justin Madubuike to free agency, so signing Shaquil Barrett would somehow soften the blow if that happens.