On Tuesday morning, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to release veteran linebacker Shaq Barrett, with Greg Auman of FOX Sports noting that it will be a post-June 1 move. This means that Barrett won’t be available on the open market for some time. Dave Canales, who has ties to the Buccaneers’ organization, may make a pitch for Barrett if the Panthers lose Frankie Luvu in free agency. Although Barrett is a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning with the Bucs and the Broncos, he may be more open to signing with a team like the Panthers that is trying to build something. If Luvu leaves, the Panthers will have the chance to find a replacement in free agency and the draft. If they fail to do so, Barrett should be at the top of their list come June. While he may not be the player he once was, he can still make an impact and may come at a cheaper contract than Luvu’s. However, the Panthers should do everything they can to retain Luvu, who is younger and one of the game’s best disrupters. If they succeed in keeping him, there would be no need to pursue the former Buccaneer.
