Could Jacksonville Jaguars be good landing spot for Shaquil Barrett?

Although the Jacksonville Jaguars could use their second first-round pick or one of their second-round selections in 2021’s draft to bolster their pass rush this offseason, they could also sign someone like Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett, who is scheduled to become a free agent and is looking for a big payday.

Chris Roling of Bleacher Report thinks Jacksonville is one of the best five landing spots for Barrett. He believes the outside linebacker could boost the Jaguars’ pass rush ‘in the short term and dramatically alter its outlook for the long term’. He adds that signing Barrett would give them the chance to use their early picks on other position groups.

The ‘Bucs’ are coming off their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history and may have a hard time keeping all their pending free agents. Barrett publicly expressed his desire to stay in Tampa Bay but also said that he feels it’s time for him to break the bank, something he may not be able to do with the Buccanneers.

Tampa Bay is projected to have $24 million in cap space in 2021, which won’t be enough to re-sign tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Chris Goodwin, linebacker Lavonte David, and Barrett. It’s uncertain which one they would prefer to bring back but if Barrett hits the open market, the Jaguars’ should definitely target him in free agency.

Would Shaquil Barrett be a good fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Roling rightly points out that the Jaguars have enough cap space to target Barrett, so money shouldn’t be a problem. They could offer the Colorado State product whatever contract he wants. Even though it’s never a good idea to overpay players, this Jacksonville team may be forced to do it if they want to land premier free agents and Barrett will be one of the best in the open market.

The ‘Jaguars’ could use an early-round selection to take Carlos Basham Jr. or a mid-round pick on someone like Cameron Sample to bolster their pass rush. However, if they want to bring in an established veteran, Barrett may be one of the best players available in the open market.