New Dolphins pass rusher Shaq Barrett aims to make Buccaneers 'mad they let me go'

Much of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' free agency period has been spent retaining talent.

Baker Mayfield is back, and so too are Mike Evans and Antoine Winfield Jr.

However, among those who got away is Shaq Barrett. Barrett spent five seasons in Tampa, racking up 45 sacks and serving a lead role for a Super Bowl-winning squad.

Having stayed in Florida by signing with the Miami Dolphins, Barrett is now set to prove he's got a full tank left, along with making the Bucs regret releasing him.

"I still got a lot to prove," Barrett said at an introductory news conference Monday, via team transcript. "Especially getting cut from another team. That adds another whole fuel to the fire right there. The Dolphins are going to be happy they signed me. Tampa is going to be mad they let me go because this year that I'm planning on having and the success that we're about to have as a team is going to be amazing."

Having begun his career with four seasons as a member of the Denver Broncos, Barrett established himself among the premier pass rushers in the league upon joining the Bucs in 2019. He was twice a Pro Bowler, once a single-season league leader in sacks and once a Super Bowl winner during his five-year stay in Tampa.

The 31-year-old is now looking to prove he's still got the ability to provide some punch to a pass rush.

Standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, while pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb -- a former Broncos teammate of Barrett -- are coming back from season-ending injuries. Thus, the Dolphins are hoping Barrett is able to return to the form of a few seasons back.

Barrett's two Pro Bowl seasons -- 2019 and 2021 -- saw him reach double-digit sacks. He led the league with 19.5 in