Philadelphia Eagles rumors: Derek Barnett generating some trade buzz?
By David Esser
The Philadelphia Eagles are in what can only be described as “cap hell” – that shouldn’t be news to anyone at this stage of the offseason. The team mortgaged their future during the “glory days” of 2017, freeing up cap space in the short term by pushing money down the road. Now, a few years removed from their Super Bowl win, the time for the Eagles to pay up is upon us.
Howie Roseman and Co. have already started making some moves to free up immediate cap space. Cutting DeSean Jackson is one that’s already happened, and Alshon Jeffery and Malik are expected to follow as “post June 1st” designations once the new league year kicks off.
Of course, all of this is made more complicated by the $30+ million dead cap hit that the Eagles are currently being hit with due to the Carson Wentz trade, a move that the front office almost certainly wasn’t planning for prior to the disaster that was 2020.
With so much cap space still left to clear, another name that could be on the chopping block is that of Derek Barnett. The four-year pro is set to make $10 million in 2021 due to his fifth-year option, and cutting him would result in zero dead money. With the team in such a dire spot financially (and Barnett being a bit of a disappointment for the majority of his Eagles career), many have speculated that his release could be imminent.
However, according to Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites on Twitter) a trade could be on the horizon instead:
#Eagles Not Shopping Derek Barnett but perspective around league is they're certainly listening. Timing Wise, most teams will sort through FA Edge Rushers prior to considering trades at position. One exception is #Browns. Told there's a dialogue there on Barnett.
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) February 26, 2021
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The Philadelphia Eagles could trade Derek Barnett.
Now obviously, the Philadelphia Eagles would much rather trade Barnett as opposed to release him. While the compensation in return likely wouldn’t be all that special, getting a late draft pick is better than nothing.
Philly reportedly had a handful of callers in regards to Barnett’s availability leading into last year’s trade deadline. While Roseman refused to move him at the time, those reports show that teams are at least interested in Barnett.
Like Forbes stated, most teams will ultimately check out the free agent market first before selling themselves on Barnett and his $10 million salary. However, a team like Cleveland – whose general manager (Andrew Berry) used to work in the Eagles front office – could be a prime landing spot.
Berry not only has a functioning relationship with Howie Roseman, but he’s also familiar with Barnett as a player. This added sense of “bias” from the Browns front office could definitely result in them parting ways with a draft pick for the 24 year old Barnett as they look to boost their pass rush this offseason.
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While outright dumping Barnett’s salary feels like the smart play from the outside looking in, the Eagles could also opt to extend Barnett, reducing his immediate cap hit in the process. While Barnett has yet to really find his footing as an every-down defensive end in the NFL, he’s still a former first round pick who Roseman likely has a sense of attachment to.