The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will release veteran linebacker Shaquil Barrett in a salary-slashing move, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Cutting ties with the two-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion will provide nearly $5 million in salary cap relief.

Barrett, 31, has an option bonus of $15.04 million due next month. The Bucs will designate the nine-year veteran as a post-June 1 cut, enabling them to divide his $26.67 million dead cap costs over 2024 and 2025. That means a $9.3 million cap hit in 2024 and $17.5 million in 2025, per the report.

Anticipating the move, Barrett said last month that he hoped to remain with Tampa Bay but understood that “it’s a business.”

Barrett started 16 games in 2023, equaling his career high, and delivered 4.5 sacks, 52 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception (a pick-six in a Week 2 win against the Chicago Bears).

He has 59 sacks, 125 quarterback hits, 22 forced fumbles and 400 tackles in 131 games (85 starts) with the Denver Broncos (2015-18) and Buccaneers. He won Super Bowl 50 with Denver and SB LV with Tampa Bay.

–Field Level Media