Pending unrestricted free agent Jason Pierre-Paul could very well be headed somewhere other than Tamp Bay. His suitors will be glad to know that the veteran could be in better shape, from a health perspective, than he was in 2021. As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, he had shoulder surgery earlier this week. 
The 33-year-old suggested that he would likely be exploring the open market, raising the possibility of his four-year tenure with the Buccaneers coming to an end. As he did in that instance, he took to Instagram to provide an update on his status, vowing to recover in full for next season.
After being named a Pro Bowler for the third time in his career in 2020, Pierre-Paul took a step back last season. Hampered by not only the shoulder issue, but also a broken finger, he managed just 31 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 12 contests. He added an additional half-sack and a fumble recovery in the postseason.
Even with missing five games in 2021, durability hasn’t generally been a problem for the 12-year veteran. If he is able to recover in full, he could provide solid production to any number of pass-rush needy teams in free agency, giving him a chance to build back his value, not to mention earn a third Super Bowl ring.