Pro Bowl pass rusher Shaquil Barrett has decided to call it quits, declaring on social media this past Saturday that he is retiring from the NFL at the age of 31 after nine seasons, four months after inking with the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s time to put this behind me. Barrett said on Instagram, “It’s been an amazing journey, and I value all that has come with it over the years. “I’m prepared to give my wife and children my entire attention… I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and the decision is now more apparent than it has ever been. [I realize] that some people will find it surprising.
On Monday, the Dolphins officially placed him on the reserve/retired list.
With top pass rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips both recovering from serious injuries and starting training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, Barrett had been expected to play a potentially significant part on the Dolphins defense. Barrett first signed with Miami in March, a few days after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut him go as a cost-cutting measure.
Barrett plays as an underdog and retires after an outstanding career that started with the Denver Broncos in 2014 despite going undrafted out of Colorado State. In just his second season, his 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles helped lead Denver’s defense to a Super Bowl victory. Later, he led the Buccaneers’ pass rush and set a career best with 19.5 sacks and six forced fumbles in a breakout 2019 campaign. Barrett retires with 59 career sacks after winning a second Lombardi Trophy with Tampa Bay the next season.
With Barrett out of the picture and edge rushers still being a major need, where will Miami go from here? Three possible targets are listed below:
Taking into account that Judon is seeking a pay increase and the Dolphins don’t have a ton of cap space, this would involve overcoming some quite significant financial obstacles. It goes without saying that the rival Patriots would be reluctant to sell the Pro Bowler in the division. While rebuilding, New England could prefer to acquire a draft pick for the 31-year-old, but intra-divisional swaps are still feasible. Just two years after recording 15.5 sacks in a season, Judon would give a rival defense immediate credibility.
Ngakoue, the ultimate pass-rushing mercenary, has appeared on the rosters of six teams throughout the previous four years. A career-low four sacks in 13 games in 2023 may have indicated that he ran out of steam, but he still has a ton of experience (115 starts) and is only a few years removed from a double-digit sack performance. He may be open to returning to Florida, even on a cheap free-agent contract, having begun his NFL career there.
As a previous standout starter who was recently plagued by injuries, Lawson fits the description if the Dolphins wish to take another Barrett-like route. He was only able to play in six games in 2023, but he was previously hailed as a rising talent on the Cincinnati Bengals’ front end. He is a skilled stand-up rusher and would gain from playing in a rotation with Miami’s other reserves. Plus, he would probably be cheap on a prove-it one-year contract.