New Dolphins outside linebacker Shaq Barrett: ‘Tampa is going to be mad they let me go’

Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Shaq Barrett loves to recall the 2019 season. And why not? He totaled 19.5 sacks that year for Tampa Bay.

“That was just amazing,” said the 31-year-old Barrett, a two-time Super Bowl champion 10-year veteran who spent the past five seasons with the Buccaneers before signing a free agent deal with Miami.

“Everything was aligned, the stars were aligned. It was just good to be on a team where coaches pretty much let me just go out and play football,” he said Monday.

The same could be the case for Barrett this season with the Dolphins.

Playing freely, not registering 19.5 sacks.

But that’s fine with the Dolphins.

Most likely Barrett, who made 16 starts for Tampa Bay last season and recorded 4.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and a touchdown, is a placeholder until edge rushers Bradley Chubb (knee) and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) recover.

That’s fine with Barrett, who has won Super Bowls with Tampa Bay (2015) and Denver (2020).

“The group of guys we have in the outside linebacker room is a great group of guys,” he said. “I would love to be a part of that.

“I know they’re hurting and nursing injuries right now so my role may be just to hold it down until they come back, then become a well-oiled machine when everybody gets back. So I’m just ready for whatever my role is and help take this team and defense to the next level.”

With Barrett’s signing, the Dolphins have added starting-caliber talent that could be converted into quality depth, if necessary.

Or, if necessary, Barrett, who had 10.0 sacks for Tampa Bay in 2021, could be a season-long starter.

The big question is how much fuel Barrett has left in the gas tank.

Barrett has averaged 3.7 sacks per season in the eight seasons he didn’t reach a double-digit sack total. 

He said the key to his success in 2019 was the ability to play freely, reading and reacting as opposed to thinking.

“To be able to have that trust from my coaches, trust from my teammates to go out and get the job done made it an amazing year and I’m excited to try to get back to that, or get close to that,” he said.

Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver seems likely to employ a multiple system that allows players to take advantage of what they do best. 

For example, Weaver has said he’ll allow All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, a Hall of Fame-caliber Swiss Army Knife defensive back, to shadow wide receivers all over the field.

No one expects Barrett to get 19.5 sacks again, and double digit sacks might even be a stretch. But that’s not the point to Barrett.

To Barrett, the point is he can still be effective and he wants to prove that to everyone.

“I’ve still got a lot to prove, especially getting cut from another team,” Barrett said. “That adds (more) fuel to the fire right there.

“The Dolphins are going to be happy they signed me and Tampa is going to be mad they let me go because this year I’m planning on having and the success we better have as a team is going to be amazing.”

Harris could provide interior DL help

Jonathan Harris, the Dolphins’ newly-signed defensive tackle, should provide help to a unit that’s seeking a starter alongside Zach Sieler as well as quality depth.

There’s a chance Harris, a still-developing 27-year-old five-year veteran, earns the starting job replacing Christian Wilkins.

There’s also a chance Harris, signed by Chicago in 2019 as an undrafted free agent from Lindenwood (Mo.) University, could be a rotational guy.

Harris, who totaled 43 tackles and 1.0 sack while playing in all 17 games (five starts) for the Denver Broncos last season, said his role hasn’t yet been defined with Miami.

“Obviously, Christian Wilkins is a great player and is a hard guy to replace no matter who you bring in,” Harris said. “I guess we just have to figure out the guys we have here and everyone just be an expert in their role and then we figure out who are D-line is now with the people we have here.”

Harris, of course, has mixed memories of Hard Rock Stadium. He was on the field last season for the Dolphins’ 70-20 victory over the Broncos. The Dolphins offense left a definite impression on Harris.

“Explosive,” he said. “They exposed a lot of weaknesses in our defense but after that we figured out a lot of things and kind of went on a little streak ourselves, so I guess thank the Dolphins for exposing us.”