Shaq Barrett Eyes Long-Term Contract with Bucs, Open to Playing on Franchise Tag

Shaquil Barrett is coming off a monster season in which he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks while combing for 58 tackles, six forced fumbles and one interception. That would seem to bode well for the future of any linebacker, let alone one like Barrett who is scheduled to hit free agency on March 18.

Except the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star doesn't want to play elsewhere. He wants to stay in Florida.

"I'm expecting to still be down here in Tampa," Barrett told NFL Network. "I feel as though we both feel that we got a lot of good momentum from last year we're gonna build on. So, we're gonna try to work that out and figure out what that's going to look like, but I'm confident I'll be down here."

"It is important to me. It's like all my success as a starter is down here and it's not broke. There's no reason for me to want to try to go fix something that's not broke," Barrett added. "So, I'm on board but I still do understand it's a business so I am preparing for anything. Emotionally, I think it's going to be down in Tampa."

While Barrett is clear in stating he'd like a long-term deal, the 27-year-old is not opposed to playing on a franchise tag. Tampa Bay would has until noon on March 16 to apply the tag to Barrett. Should that deadline pass, he'll be able to negotiate terms with any team in the league ahead of free agency, which is still scheduled for March 18.

The linebacker signed in Tampa on a one-year, $4 million deal last offseason. He's now projected to earn more than $15 million per season on his next deal, with Spotrac.com estimating a four-year, $63 million deal that would make him the fourth-highest-paid outside linebacker in league.

Should Tampa end up using the franchise tag on Barrett, he'll earn $15.443 million in 2020. Barrett is hopeful it won't come to that but prepared to play in Tampa either way.

"I'm gonna play off the tag [if] I got to but I do want that long-term deal," Barrett said. "It's all about security for me and my family; that's all I've been fighting for my whole time in the NFL. Even a franchise tag, I'm still getting the security too, but I just want a long contract and long-term security."