3 Most Likely Derek Barnett Trade Destinations

As we approach the start of the NFL regular season, there is still a lot of roster juggling that needs to be done between now and then. Much of that will happen ahead of Tuesday’s 53-man roster deadline, and we’ve already seen a number of trades in recent days as teams look to open up roster spots to help avoid the crunch.

One player could help make those decisions a bit easier for the Eagles, as defensive end Derek Barnett is reportedly seeking a trade.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Barnett’s agent Drew Rosenhaus has indicated that Barnett is eyeing a trade so that he can have more playing time elsewhere.

That would be a big shift for Barnett, who has been with Philly since the team drafted him in the first round back in 2017. He immediately helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl as a rookie and quickly established himself as a defensive anchor, starting 45 games from 2018-2021.

Unfortunately for Barnett, he was unable to contribute to Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run last year, as he tore his ACL in Week 1 and missed the rest of the season. The Eagles still managed to have one of the top defensive units in the NFL as Josh Sweat stepped up in his absence, making the Pro Bowl in his first season as a regular starter.

While Barnett is still under contract for the upcoming season and was already assured a roster spot after taking a pay cut, he sees the writing on the wall. Sweat has bypassed him on the depth chart and Haason Reddick is expected to be ready for Week 1, so Barnett is unlikely to see as much action on such a deep defense. He’d now prefer to play somewhere else, where he could potentially still start and would see more playing time than in Philly.

With that in mind, here are three potential trade destinations for Barnett.

Derek Barnett Trade Destinations

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

As an up-and-coming team, the Jaguars could use a veteran presence like Barnett, especially on defense.

If Jacksonville wants to take another step forward after winning the AFC South last year, it needs to happen on the defensive end. The Jags have already surrounded rising QB Trevor Lawrence with a ton of talent, but the defense has to be better after ranking 24th in yards allowed last year.

There’s also the built-in connection with Doug Pederson, who was Barnett’s coach when he came up with Philly and is now the man in charge in Jacksonville.

In that sense, Barnett would be a perfect fit for the Jaguars. He’d still get to play for a contender but would have a much clearer path to playing time on a young team. And as a former Super Bowl champ, he’d also be able to help mentor some of the team’s younger players and show them how to win.

In return, the Eagles could net a much-needed draft pick from Jacksonville, making a trade a win-win for both sides.