FRISCO - Leighton Vander Esch may not be coming back. Shaq Leonard never arrived.
Could Shaquille Barrett be the Dallas Cowboys' missing linebacker link?
The two-time Super Bowl champion and former All-Pro and Pro Bowl star is being cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a cost-cutting move. Barrett had a $15 million bonus due next month, but instead will become a free agent. By designating him as a post-June 1 release, the Bucs are saving $5 million under the salary cap.
The 31-year-old played his first five seasons with the Denver Broncos before signing as a free agent with Tampa Bay in 2019. In the last five years he produced 45 sacks and forced 15 fumbles and was a key cog on the defense that harassed Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LV.
It was Barrett who pressured Dak Prescott in the 2022 season opener, forcing a fractured thumb that forced the Cowboys' quarterback to miss five games.
The Cowboys are desperate for help at linebacker. Vander Esch's future is in limbo after another neck injury that ended his 2023 season after Week 6. They pursued Leonard late last season after his surprising release by the Indianapolis Colts, but he instead signed with the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Related: Vander Esch Retirement Rumor: Source Reveals Cowboys LB Thinking
While Leonard's impact was minimal - only one sack in three starts - during Philly's late-season implosion, the Cowboys' suffered without linebacker depth. Defensive coordinator attempted to play smaller, fast players such as Markquese Bell at the position, but the strategy was exploited as the Green Bay Packers ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns in Dallas' shocking loss in the first round of the playoffs.
NFL free agency begins March 13.