Getty Von Miller could hit the free agent market if he is released.
We can expect the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be linked to a number of NFL stars throughout the offseason thanks to the perfect combination of Tom Brady and the team’s Super Bowl run. Former NFL quarterback and SiriusXM radio analyst Brady Quinn suggested the Buccaneers could add Broncos linebacker Von Miller if the team is not willing to pay Shaq Barrett’s asking price in free agency.
“If you and I were going to bet right now on Von Miller at 32 this year having more production/more sacks if when healthy with Tampa, as compared to Shaq Barrett, if he leaves, I’d put my money on Von Miller,” Quinn explained, per JoeBucsFan.com.
Miller is not a free agent but there is some speculation that the pass rusher could be a cap casualty for the Broncos. Denver has a club option for the final season of Miller’s six-year, $114 million contract. The star linebacker would earn a $17.5 million salary with a $22.2 million cap hit if the Broncos pick up the option.
ALL the latest Bucs news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bucs newsletter here!
There Has Been Speculation That the Bucs Could Form a ‘Super Team’ Thanks to a Shrinking Salary Cap
Tampa’s offseason is going to be full of rumors thanks to a shrinking salary cap as a result of the lost revenue related to COVID-19. During an interview on the DNVR Three Ring Circus podcast, NFL Network’s James Palmer explained why this could work in the Buccaneers’ favor prompting a fear around the league that Brady will form a “super team” in 2021.
“There’s people around the league that I talk to that think there’s going to be some super teams attempted to be put together for one year because of this style of where the cap is,” Palmer explained. “Guys are going to take less money and go play with Tom Brady in Tampa for one season and then we get back on track and then they’re going to ask for their regular money [after the 2021 season].”
Palmer used Miller as one potential example if he gets released by the Broncos. Miller missed all of the 2020 season with an injury and is unlikely to find the same kind of money he has on his current deal with the Broncos.
“Say, like, Von gets released and Von goes, ‘Well shoot, I’m going to go play with Tom Brady and everybody in Tampa for $5 million bucks, one year and then I’m going to go back out on the market next year,'” Palmer continued. “So, it is going to be an odd year.”
Miller had eight sacks, 20 quarterback hits and 46 tackles in 2019 breaking a streak of five straight seasons with double-digit sacks. The linebacker is just two seasons removed from 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 26 quarterback hits and 48 tackles in 2018.
Barrett on Free Agency: ‘I Feel Like It’s Time for Me to Break the Bank’
The Bucs have said repeatedly they want to keep the core group together from their Super Bowl season, but it is going to be challenging with so many key players hitting free agency. With Barrett aiming to “break the bank,” it will be interesting to see if the Bucs could consider a cheaper option such as Miller or another veteran in free agency.
Barrett played on the franchise tag last season and his statistics are down from his breakout performance in 2019. Barrett had eight sacks and 57 tackles last season compared to 19.5 sacks and 58 tackles in 2019. The linebacker is sure to still have no shortage of lucrative offers from other teams.
“I’m most definitely looking forward to getting a long-term deal done,” Barrett told SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio, via Pro Football Talk. “I feel like it’s time for me to break the bank now, and I most definitely want to do that to be able to set my family up better and most definitely going to keep producing so it’s not like anything is going to fall off. I still think I got a lot left in the tank. I’m still getting better, actually. I’m still learning like just still learning like week in, week out. And there’s like, as you can see as the season progressed like . . . I ended the season playing the way that I wanted to play. And you can see that I did progress throughout the season and I’m still progressing.”
READ NEXT: Tom Brady & Bucs Expected to Form ‘Super Team’ in Free Agency: Report