Philadelphia Eagles: Eventually, a Derek Barnett decision has to be made
By David Esser
Since the conclusion of the 2020 regular season, Carson Wentz’ future has of course been the main one being discussed when it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles. Even with the introduction of an entirely new coaching staff, it appears a divorce between Philadelphia and Wentz is imminent.
While quarterback is undeniably the most important position on a football team, the Eagles have a plethora of roster spots that they’ll ultimately have to address this offseason. The team as a whole is noticeably bare due to a mismanaged cap situation, and plenty of cuts/trades will occur once the new league year kicks off in early March.
One of those position groups that needs addressing over the coming months is that of defensive end, as the Eagles are at a bit of a crossroads at the position.
Both Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat are coming off career years, so it’s unlikely either will be moved this spring. On the other hand, the time to come to a firm Derek Barnett decision is finally upon us. Four years deep into his NFL career and set to count for $10 million towards the cap in 2021, Barnett’s future in Philadelphia is anything but secure.
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When Howie Roseman drafted Barnett back in 2017, he was expecting to land himself a legit starting-caliber defensive end. After all, he passed up on guys like Marlon Humphrey, Tre’Davious White, and T.J. Watt to obtain the former Tennessee University pass-rusher.
While Barnett has shown legitimate flashes of being an elite DE in the past, his inability to stay on the field has ultimately been the biggest flaw to his game. He’s missed 15 games over the last three seasons, forcing the Eagles to rely on rotational DEs like Vinny Curry to pick up the slack.
The Philadelphia Eagles should consider offloading Derek Barnett.
Prior to the 2020 season, Barnett’s status as a valued member of the defense was borderline untouchable due to the fact that Jim Schwartz was quite fond of him. With Schwartz no longer the Eagles defensive coordinator, that shield of protection has vanished.
Liam Jenkins of PhillySportsNetwork.com proposed that Roseman should look into packaging Barnett away as part of a blockbuster Wentz trade, and I have to say I agree with this train of thought. The Philadelphia Eagles would save $10 million by offloading Barnett, and including him in the Wentz trade would likely warrant a decent return, softening the blow of trading away the team’s former franchise QB.
"The Derek Barnett experiment is over. Now heading into his expensive fifth-year option that’s set to cost the team over $10M, it’s safe to say he hasn’t lived up to the price tag. He has gotten better over time, but he hasn’t really been able to emerge as a consistent threat off the edge to a point where he’s clearly the front-runner to fill Brandon Graham’s shoes upon retirement.However, there is value here. An interested team would be getting a 24-year-old edge rusher who has developed an eyebrow-raising spin move and can bend the edge beautifully. When he’s hot, he’s red hot…it’s just a case of finding a way to keep the fire burning.Moving on from Barnett gives the Eagles a chance to hit reset at DE (again), save $10M, and gives his new team a flyer on a young DE who may well sign a much cheaper extension upon arrival."
While Barnett has excited at points during his career, ultimately speaking he’s a player who’s averaged just under five sacks per season. Take into account the fact that he’s spent the last four years lining up alongside Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham – two players who routinely warrant double teams – and the results just aren’t good enough.
Snagging a draft pick in return for Barnett, while simultaneously using that $10 million on other positions, seems like the best plan of action moving forward.
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On the flip side, if Jonathan Gannon (Eagles new DC) believes there’s still untapped potential left in Barnett, then a restructure of sorts will likely need to be facilitated. Extending him beyond 2021 while simultaneously lowering his immediate cap hit would be a must.