Bucs OLB Nelson Has Big Shoes To Fill Replacing Barrett

This is a huge opportunity for Nelson to set up himself up for a second contract whether it’s with the Bucs or another team. He’s in the last year of his rookie deal and coming off a season where he had a career-high five sacks. This year he already has two sacks through eight games. Although starting is a different role, he and Carl Nassib typically have averaged between 25% and 35% of the snaps each week. So getting extended playing time isn’t exactly new.

That’s why Nelson is looking at it as a collective effort to fill the production left by Barrett. It’s not going to be any one person that can replace him.

“It’s going to be a team effort,” Nelson said. “Everybody on defense is going to have to step up. Everybody in our room, Joe, me, Carl and Genard (Avery), we’re going to have to step up. It’s a big loss. You hate to see it, it’s a part of the game, which sucks, but you hate to see it especially with such a good dude like Shaq. We got a lot of things to fix and we’re going to have to step up. He’s a playmaker, he always has been, we’re going to have some shoes to fill.”

Nelson Has Been In This Role Before With The Bucs

Nelson started in the final two games of the regular season last year when Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul were out. He recorded a sack in each game with both resulting in a win. He also recorded a sack the week prior to starting, so he went three games in row taking down the quarterback. He’s familiar with starting, but this time around he’ll get more opportunities to build on top of a good start.

“I always have confidence in my ability,” Nelson said. “Every time I’m out there I think I’m going to make a play. Obviously, it doesn’t always happen but that’s just the kind of mindset that we have and it’s the mindset you have to have to play in the NFL. We got a lot of guys in the locker room that play that way. That’s why we’ve had success but obviously we got some things to clean up, but it’s a challenge.  It’s always fun to come in and try to get better.”

Nelson believes there won’t be too much of a difference getting the start outside of more playing time. The biggest difference, though, is the mindset going into it.

“It’s just more reps, more snaps, but the mentality is really the biggest thing,” Nelson said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned is just make the reps count, don’t count the reps type of thing. When I’m in there I’m trying to do my job and make plays when I can. I think the mentality just transitions over and you just do it and now you just got more opportunities, so you got to make more plays.”