The Bucs will be placing the franchise tag on outside linebacker Shaq Barrett on Monday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Barrett was the league’s sack leader in 2019. That means that Jameis Winston, who was the team’s starting quarterback for the past five seasons, will test the market as an unrestricted free agent.

Signed to a one-year, $4 million “prove it” deal with the Bucs in 2019 after spending the first five seasons of his career in Denver, Barrett was one of the most dominant defensive presences in the NFL, racking up 58 total tackles, 37 quarterback hits an interception and a league-leading 19.5 sacks. Barrett, who made his first Pro Bowl last year, broke Tampa Bay’s single-season sack record of 16.5 set by Warren Sapp in 2000.

The franchise tag will pay Barrett $15.828 million for the 2020 season since he has been tagged as an outside linebacker in Tampa Bay’s 3-4 defense. The change in defensive scheme from a 4-3 to a 3-4 by the Buccaneers helped the team as the franchise tag designation for defensive ends is $19.1 million, per Over The Cap.

Bucs QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Mary Holt/PR

Despite using the franchise tag designation, the Bucs will continue to work on a long-term contract extension with Barrett’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

As for Winston, the Bucs don’t feel there will be much of a market for him as a starting quarterback after throwing 88 interceptions in his career, including 30 last year, which led the NFL. Winston also threw an NFL-record seven pick-sixes in 2019.

The Bucs will be exploring other options in free agency at the quarterback position, including New England’s Tom Brady and New Orleans’ Teddy Bridgewater, but won’t rule out re-signing Winston if the price is right and Tampa Bay’s perceived upgrades decide to sign elsewhere. Of course, Winston doesn’t have to wait around for that to happen, either. He could be pursued by Las Vegas head coach Jon Gruden, who has gushed over Winston before he returned to coaching in the NFL three years ago.

Winston set several Bucs franchise records, including 19,737 yards and 121 touchdown passes in his five years in Tampa Bay. Those yards and touchdowns resulted in just one winning season with Winston at the helm, a 9-7 campaign in 2016, and an overall record of 28-42 under center as the Bucs’ starting quarterback.