Division rival Buffalo Bills lose key pass rusher ahead of training camp

There’s still plenty of time between now and the start of the regular season, but the Miami Dolphins suffered a major blow at edge rusher heading into training camp.

On Saturday afternoon, Shaq Barrett announced his retirement. Barrett, 31, signed a one-year, $7 million contract this offseason. The two-time Super Bowl champion announced his decision in an Instagram post.

“It’s time for me to hang up my boots,” Barrett wrote. “It’s been a great ride and I appreciate everything that has come with it over the years. I’m ready to focus completely on my wife and children and help them achieve their dreams and make them come true. Anyone who has ever achieved their dreams knows the work, time and consistency it takes to achieve them. I’m ready to start developing those skills in my children, which will take 100% commitment. I know this will come as a surprise to some, but I’ve been thinking about this for a while and the decision has never been clearer than it is today.”

Barrett’s abrupt retirement leaves the Dolphins short on edge rushers heading into training camp. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are expected to return at some point this season, but both players are coming off serious lower-body injuries suffered in 2023. Barrett was signed to add a veteran presence to the room while both players worked on their return to the field. As of now, Miami’s top two healthy edge rushers are rookies Chop Robinson and Mo Kamara. Robinson was Miami’s first-round pick while Kamara was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

The Dolphins could look to free agency to bolster their depth. Veterans like Melvin Ingram, Yannick Ngakoue and Carl Lawson remain unsigned. Miami has plenty of time to address the position, but the team may need to lean heavily on two rookies early in the season. That could benefit the Buffalo Bills as the team takes on the Dolphins for the first time in Week 2.

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