The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed the franchise tag on linebacker Shaquil Barrett, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A source told ESPN’s Jenna Laine that Barrett will be tagged as an outside linebacker. While the franchise tag figures for the 2020 season have not yet been released, the tag for a linebacker in 2019 was $15.4 million.
After signing a one-year prove-it deal with the Bucs for $4 million last offseason, Barrett did just that. In his first year as a full-time starter, Barrett went from fighting for a job in the fourth preseason game to finishing with a league-high 19.5 sacks in 2019.
He became just the second Tampa Bay player to reach double-digit sacks since Simeon Rice in 2005. Barrett, who turned 27 in November, also recorded 58 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 2 pass deflections and an interception.
When Barrett became an unrestricted free agent last offseason, he originally intended to sign a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, but a shoulder injury led them to rescind the offer.
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014, Barrett spent a year on the Denver Broncos’ practice squad before stepping into a rotational role his rookie season and finished with 5.5 sacks.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report.
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