Competition brings out the best of the Philadelphia Eagles’ edge rush
Since being selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Derek Barnett has been one of the more meh players on the Philadelphia Eagles‘ roster.
Sure, at times, Barnett has looked good, sometimes even really good. But when you’re selected higher than Marlon Humphrey, Tre’Davious White, and T.J. Watt, all the while averaging a little less than five sacks a season, it’s going to lead to quite a few detractors in the City of Brotherly Love – what can I say, it’s Philly, that’s how we do.
Fun fact: The trio of Humphrey, White, and Watt have combined for three All-Pro seasons and four trips to the Pro Bowl since 2017, three All-Pro seasons, and four more trips to the Pro Bowl than Barnett or any of the Eagles’ defensive ends for that matter.
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Though it would be understandable for the Eagles to start preparing for life after Barnett, as he’s clearly not worked his way into an incredibly lucrative second contract, the Eagles’ other defensive end options – outside of 32-year-old Brandon Graham – forced the team to pick up his fifth-year options that will pay out an astounding $10.05 million for the 2021 season.
Needless to say, the Eagles needed a hero to step up and officially end the Barnett-era with a bang, but who would it be?
2020 deadline tradee Genard Avery? 2020 seventh-round pick Casey Toohill? Surely it wouldn’t be Shareef Miller, as he was waived coming out of camp, but what about Vinny Curry? It’s never too late for a breakout season, right?
No, if the Eagles’ defensive line was going to have a dark horse, surprise breakout star for the 2020 NFL season, that burden was most likely going to fall on 2018 fourth-round pick Josh Sweat, and so far, that assumption has been dead on.
The unquestioned star of training camp, Sweat burst off to a quick start in Week 1 against Washington, picking up his first sack of the season on ex-Louisville third-round pick Geron Christian while wreaking havoc on Dwayne Haskins and Ron Rivera‘s offense. Sweat looked fast, strong, and hyper-athletic, and fans in the 215 fell in love.
Fast forward to Week 2, and it was Sweat, not a healthy Barnett, who earned a spot in the team’s starting lineup, a spot he retained in Week 3 as well.
But here’s the thing, Barnett wasn’t going to go down quietly.
After trailing Sweat in snaps in Week 2, Barnett delivered a haymaker to the unsuspecting offensive tackles of the Cincinnati Bengals, picking up two QB hits, two tackles for a loss, and a pair of sacks in a certified revenge game. For what it’s worth, Sweat had a pretty great game too, picking up a QB hit, two tackles for a loss, and a sack on an identical 38, but through three games, the duo are all ‘Tied up’ at two apiece.
Ladies and gentlemen – but mostly gentlemen, I know the demographics – I think we have a certified sack battle on our hands.
Like Hulk Hogan versus The Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania VI, we have a pair of titans in their prime waging war for the ultimate championship – the WWF Heavyweight Champio- a second contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. And as for the loser? Well, they too may earn another contract with the Eagles as well – that’s the beauty of this competition: Both players can win.
Sure, the Eagles have a massive cap hit waiting just over the horizon, but if both Barnett and Sweat are able to keep this clip up and record double-digit sack seasons for the first time in either of their careers, it’ll go a long way to encouraging Howie Roseman to work out new deals that have tiny paydays in 2021 and bigger money down the line.
I mean goodness, can you even imagine having two good defensive ends under 25-years-old? Are NFL teams even allowed to have two good defensive ends, regardless of age?
Look, I get it. The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t very good, playing for a tie is worse than playing for a loss, and the entire team is teetering on the edge of total collapse. If you want to focus on that doom and gloom, I can’t stop you, but for me, I like to try to focus on the positives. To me, there isn’t a more exciting position battle to watch week in and week out than Josh Sweat vs. Derek Barnett coming off the edge at some unsuspecting quarterback.