Dolphins Pro Bowler unretires at just the right time for playoff push

As Milhouse Van Houten once said on The Simpsons, "Everything's coming up Milhouse!" For Miami Dolphins fans, it sure feels like everything is coming up Dolphins.

Not only are the 'Fins riding a three-game win streak after a miserable start but now, they might have some massive help on the defensive side of the ball to help them push for a playoff spot. According to Ian Rapoport, pass rusher Shaq Barrett has "applied for reinstatement after announcing his retirement this summer, per agent Drew Rosenhaus".

Well, as Dolphins fans might remember, Barrett is under contract with Miami so the good guys would hold his contractual rights if he's reinstated. Barrett wants to play immediately, which is great news for the Dolphins. At 5-6, the team is still very much alive in the playoff hunt and they look to be trending in the right direction after an abysmal 2-6 start.

Shaq Barrett might be coming back to help the Dolphins

The Dolphins signed Barrett in the offseason hoping that he'd have something left in the tank to help their pass rush in 2024. Yet, in the summer before the season kicked off, Barrett announced his retirement and seemed comfortable with the decision. Now it appears he's regretting that decision and still wants to play.

Barrett has been on two Super Bowl-winning teams, spending his rookie year with the 2015 Denver Broncos and then playing a significant role for the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was cut by the Bucs following the 2023 season in a move to free up some cap space and the 'Fins gladly scooped him up hoping he'd have enough left in the tank to help them continue their push for a deep playoff run.

Barrett's career-high in sacks came in 2019 when he had 19.5 sacks and he had 10 sacks during the 2021 season. He tallied 4.5 sacks during the 2023 season and if the Dolphins can get that kind of production from him, that'd be a win for this team. The Dolphins are in the bottom five of sacks this season, sitting with just 21 sacks through 11 games.

Any help the Dolphins can get in that department would help significantly so let's hope that Barrett still has enough in the tank to help rev up this pass rush down the stretch. This could be the difference between a playoff appearance and watching the postseason from home.

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