When news broke that Shaq Barrett, the one-time sack leader who retired from the NFL shortly after signing with the Miami Dolphins earlier this year, wanted to return to the field and hit the post-trade deadline free-agent market, it felt like a certified long-shot.
First, the Dolphins would have to release him from their retired players list and then their roster, which initially seemed like something the team didn't want to do. Barrett, Miami felt, signed with the Dolphins to play for the Dolphins, and if he wanted to play football once more, he should do so as a member of the Dolphins.
Well, with their season hanging by a thread and the chances of making the playoffs no longer in their hands, the Dolphins decided to do the right thing and allow Barrett to test the open market, but again, it wouldn't be so simple. No, Barrett would instead have to pass through waivers, where, if he was claimed, he would be ineligible to play at all in 2024 due to a league bylaw, according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Still, Barrett's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was confident that his client would hit the open market and would be able to find a new home before the playoffs.
“We appreciate the Dolphins giving Shaq this opportunity to continue his career in the NFL,” Rosenhaus told Schefter. “Hopefully, he will pass through waivers and become a free agent so he can play again this season. He is in great shape and would be ready to play immediately.”
And on Friday, that officially happened, with Barrett – plus recently released Detroit Lions linebacker Kwon Alexander – officially passing through NFL waivers unclaimed to become unrestricted NFL free agents.
Now free to sign wherever he would like, Barrett will certainly have a number of interested suitors in the pursuit of his services, from a team like the Lions, to the Philadelphia Eagles – one of the teams he was initially linked to – the Houston Texans and even the Kansas City Chiefs, who could always use some initial pop coming off the edge. While money may talk in this particular situation, as different teams have different amounts of space under their caps, in the end, this will likely come down to which team offers Barrett the best chance to win in 2024. If that's the case, filling the shoes Brandon Graham left vacant when he tore his triceps against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football may just be the perfect pairing of opportunity on the field and in the standings.
