The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a key piece of their defense in Week 8 last season when edge rusher Shaq Barrett tore his Achilles tendon. But, it appears his rehab is going well enough that he expects to be ready for Week 1 of the 2023 campaign.
Speaking on the Loose Cannons podcast, Barrett delivered a very promising update on the ongoing recovery.
“Mentally, it had me in a bad spot for a day or two,” Barrett said. “Physically, now, I’m good. I’m doing the rehab. I’m getting better. I’ve been jogging on the treadmill, . . . doing everything pretty much according to plan and on schedule. It might be a little slower right now because we’ve got a lot of time, but I’m ready to go.
“I’m going to be ready to go when it’s time to go. I’m pretty sure ‘time to go’ will be the first game. I don’t anticipate missing any games. I don’t anticipate being on any play counts. I should be ready to go for the first game for sure.”
He also dropped a shocking admission on the pain from the injury:
“With this injury, it hasn’t hurt since the second day after surgery,” Barrett said. “I haven’t had any pain in it since then.”
Shaq Barrett won't be able to play for most of if not all of training camp. However, he clearly believes the season opener is more than a realistic timetable for his return.
In eight games last year, Barrett collected 31 total tackles, eight QB hits, and three sacks. 2023 is a very crucial season for the 30-year-old, who heads into the third year of a four-year extension. The Buccaneers will surely need him to be at his best.
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