Bucs LB Shaq Barrett says he'll be ready to start season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett expects to be recovered from a torn Achilles in time to start the 2023 season.

"I'm gonna be ready to go when it's time to go," he told the "Loose Cannons" podcast on Friday. "I'm pretty sure ‘time to go' will be the first game. I don't anticipate missing any games. I don't anticipate being on any play counts. So, I should be ready to go for the first game for sure."

Barrett, 30, sustained the season-ending injury to his left leg during the Buccaneers' Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

He finished the 2022 campaign with 31 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble in eight games.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Barrett has 348 tackles, 54.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in 115 career games (69 starts) with the Denver Broncos (2015-18) and Buccaneers.