Buccaneers: Shaquil Barrett earns NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors

After piling on the sacks in the Buccaneers win on Thursday Night, Shaquil Barrett has earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Rewinding to the Spring and the first few days of free agency have already passed, but then a notification pops up on your phone. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett to a one-year deal; what a deal it has turned out to be as he has been a top performer for the Buccaneers over the first two weeks of the season.

On Thursday night, Barrett was all over Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton as the Buccaneers went on to win the game. Tallying three sacks on the day, Barrett was a force all night and was too much for the Panthers’ offensive line to handle.

Barrett’s performance on Thursday night has earned him his first ever Defensive Player of the Week honors, representing the NFC side of the award. Becoming the first Buccaneer to win a Player of the Week award since Ryan Fitzpatrick did so the first two weeks of last season, Barrett is on a torrid pace this season for the Buccaneers, already tallying four sacks to his name.

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The Buccaneers have given Shaquil Barrett his first opportunity to see reps as a starter after playing behind a star-studded defensive front with the Denver Broncos over the first five years of his career. Starting only 17 games entering his sixth season, Barrett recorded 14 sacks in a rotational role with the Broncos, giving guys like Demarcus Ware, Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil, and Bradley Chubb breathers over the years.

While his playing time was limited in the Mile High City, Barrett routinely jumped off the charts on gradings done by Pro Football Focus (subscription required). It is not a surprise to see him total nearly a quarter of his career sack totals through just two games with the Bucs now that he has deservedly been given a bigger role.

Barrett now has four sacks on the year and is second in the entire National Football League in sacks this season, behind only Cleveland Browns’ superstar Myles Garrett. Tallying double-digit sacks is certainly in the forecast for Barrett as he continues to thrive with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

This is just the first of many awards for Barrett this year, as it would also not be a shock to see him make his first Pro Bowl this season. Barrett will look to burn the New York Giants off the edge this week and add to his sack total this Sunday.