Some issues in life are easy, but individuals discover a option to make them difficult as hell.
Within the case of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Shaq Barrett, let’s hope it stays so simple as doable.
This, clearly, is in reference to the upcoming negotiations between the Bucs and Barrett (or his agent, somewhat) that may concern Barrett’s subsequent contract.
Will he get a long-term deal? Will he get tagged with the franchise/transition designation?
Look, guys. This isn’t onerous:
Pay the person and provides him a long-term deal. ASAP.
Earlier than we get into the technical stuff, let’s simply overview the fundamentals.
- Barrett snapped Warren Sapp’s 18-year file for probably the most sacks in franchise historical past and put collectively among the finest seasons sack-wise in NFL historical past.
- He carried out whereas Jason Pierre-Paul was recovering from a neck damage and at one level had 9 of the workforce’s 11 whole sacks by 4 video games.
- His presence elevated the play/manufacturing of these round him resulting from the truth that workforce’s needed to recreation plan for him because the season went on.
- Don’t overlook that he’s additionally an awesome teammate, locker room presence, yadda yadda yadda.
The fundamentals are nice, however they don’t get you p-a-i-d within the NFL. Luckily for Barrett, he ain’t primary.
The 19.5 sacks carry a number of weight. I imply, it’s like elephant-heavy sort weight. Nevertheless it’s not simply the sacks, it’s how he was in a position to get to that quantity.
For starters, he performs totally on the proper aspect of the protection, which suggests he shall be matched up with a left deal with for almost all of a recreation. For those who aren’t very football-aware, this implies he must face the most effective move protector (often) on the opposing workforce.
The dude works, too. He’s not probably the most athletic man on the market, so he has to depend on method.
However he has very good method, which permits him to beat his assignments in quite a lot of methods.
Exhibit A is in opposition to the New York Giants. Simply take a look at the spin transfer he makes use of to beat Nate Solder. Shaq is on the left-hand aspect of the display screen sporting No. 58:
Daryl Williams obtained an enormous dose of Barrett on the Thursday night time recreation again in Week 2. Barrett reveals off his energy right here as he drives him into Newton’s lap:
And naturally, Barrett has that much-needed “bend” to get round opponents and get to the quarterback.
Bear in mind what I stated about dealing with off in opposition to among the finest left tackles within the league? Effectively, Barrett will get the job accomplished right here in opposition to Taylor Lewan, one of many higher tackles within the league. Granted, the sack on Ryan Tannehill is extra Tannehill’s fault than it’s Lewan’s, however Barrett nonetheless reveals off a pleasant transfer to get previous Lewan on the prime of the arc. Barrett reveals off some severe energy in opposition to Lewan a number of gamers later although (within the second GIF), as he pushes the All-Professional deal with into Tannehill’s throwing lane, which helps trigger the incompletion:
He simply blows by Jake Matthews – who’s a Professional Bowler, himself – on this instance to get the strip-sack in opposition to the Falcons. Barrett is lined up on the proper aspect of the display screen:
It’s not nearly sacks, both. Barrett is fairly good in run protection and is a great, instinctive participant as proven within the subsequent few examples.
Barrett will get a wonderful leap off the snap, blows by the proper deal with after which stands up the pulling tight finish whereas taking down Saquon Barkley for a 1-yard achieve. He’s on the left-hand aspect of the display screen:
On this play, he does a superb job of shedding Lewan’s block and is ready observe Henry down behind the LOS, which everyone knows just isn’t simple to do. Barrett is on the right-hand aspect of the display screen:
He reads this reverse completely and is ready to maintain Sterling Shepard to a 2-yard achieve. He’s on the right-hand aspect of the display screen:
Barrett is greater than only a pass-rusher. With one other yr to fine-tune his skills and get extra floor below his toes, there’s no motive to suppose he can’t proceed to enhance within the coming years.
However Evan, what a couple of regression? There’s no approach he can hit 19.5 sacks yearly.
After all he can’t and also you’d be silly to suppose he may. The NFL isn’t designed for gamers to hit that quantity frequently. However these 19.5 sacks weren’t a flash within the pan. Barrett went simply 4 video games and not using a sack in 2019 and had two four-game streaks wherein he recorded no less than a half sack. He was a constant power that routinely made performs all yr lengthy.
Historical past is on his aspect, too. Have a look at the names of the fellows who hit no less than 19 sacks on this listing. Fairly spectacular firm, is it not?
Effectively, in the event you like that listing, you’re actually going to love these upcoming stats.
Of the gamers on that listing, those who recorded 19.5 sacks or extra would go on to file a median of 11.5 sacks per season over the subsequent 5.5 years of their profession. That won’t sound nice, however when you think about the truth that the identical gamers averaged a peak yr of 15 sacks in a season, it turns into fairly clear that Barrett is in superb firm.
And it additionally turns into clear that he can be value each penny of a giant contract.
Put it this manner: Michael Strahan recorded an 18.5 sack season after his record-setting 2001 season wherein he recorded 22.5 sacks. Mark Gastineau took down quarterbacks 19 occasions in a single season after his 22-sack season in 1984. J.J. Watt is the one participant in NFL historical past to file 20+ sacks in multiple season. To place it in laymen’s phrases: nearly everybody who recorded a 19.5+ sack season went on to have no less than yet one more nice season.
And to make issues even higher, of those gamers achieved their 19.5+ sack season at a median of 27 years previous, as properly. Barrett was 27 when he performed for the Bucs in 2019.
Historical past reveals {that a} regression is unlikely for Barrett. If he have been to maintain with the corporate he’s presently in, then his flooring can be round 11.5 sacks per season, whereas his ceiling can be no less than 15. And he would play for the Bucs for no less than 5 years.
Now after all, there may be the possibility that Barrett may observe within the footsteps of Tim Harris and Aldon Smith, the 2 outliers on the listing of gamers with 19.5+ sacks of their profession, but when I have been the Bucs, I’d think about that Barrett is definitely worth the threat.
For context’s sake, Smith and Harris averaged simply 5 sacks over the subsequent 4.5 years of their profession after their 19.5+ sack season. It’s onerous to think about Barrett being restricted to that manufacturing, however you by no means know.
A four-year/$65 million contract is each honest and manageable for the Bucs. They might front-load the contract with a purpose to make it simpler to navigate in case Barrett doesn’t work out for the long-term. The $16.25/yr determine is over his market worth, as properly, which might be thought-about a bonus for the Barrett camp.
We’ve come a good distance from Shaq the query mark to Shaq the sack grasp.
Giving Barrett a long-term deal would additionally give the Bucs the chance to franchise Jameis Winston. That is an uncommon yr by way of free company tags within the NFL. As an alternative of groups solely being allowed to make use of a sure tag on one sure participant, they’re allowed to make use of both the “unique” or “non-exclusive” AND the “transition” tag on separate gamers.
Signing Barrett to a LTE would permit the Bucs to franchise Winston with both the “unique” or “non-exclusive” tag, which might give the Bucs a significant benefit by way of contract negotiations throughout the membership and/or outdoors golf equipment. This may additionally permit them to transition one other free agent that they deemed value of stated worth, however didn’t need to overpay when compensating for one more workforce’s supply.
All of it is smart in each the long-term and the short-term for the Bucs, which is why this deal must occur sooner somewhat than later.
