Eagles Veteran Sounds Off on Expectations for Former 1st Round Pick

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Eagles Veteran Sounds Off on Expectations for Former 1st Round Pick

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• By Mike Greger

• Updated Jun 5, 2022 at 10:25am

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Brandon Graham sees a breakout year for former first-round pick Derek Barnett.

It hasn’t gone exactly the way that Derek Barnett had hoped it would over his first five NFL seasons. Aside from that timely fumble recovery in Super Bowl LII, it’s been a struggle to meet expectations. The first-round pick is trying hard to shed the bust label.

Barnett signed a two-year deal worth $14 million to return to the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s essentially a "prove-it contract” that allows the Eagles to move on after the first year if things don’t work out. But Barnett is determined to stick around Philly for the duration. He’s out to show everyone that he was worth the investment of being the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

"I can see that chip on his shoulder, even more than usual, just working on the details,” Graham told reporters on June 3. "I feel like it just hasn’t happened for him yet like he wanted to but I think this year he’s going to really have a big year because he’s already just out there running around.

"He’s doing a lot of good stuff. Every day in film coach is always talking about what a good job he’s doing. And he’s just trying to prove to everybody that the Eagles drafted him for a reason and that reason is going to show up this year.”

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Graham Buries the Hatchet with Jim Washburn

Former Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn has been a strong voice in Barnett’s ear. He travels down to Tennessee to work out with the 72-year-old coach. Sometimes Graham makes the trip with him, an interesting side note considering the feud between those two guys. They hated each other.

Now Washburn’s son, Jeremiah, is coaching up the edge rushers in Philadelphia. Awkward? Not a chance. Graham has nothing but love for the Washburn family.

"We buried all that. I was just young and immature at the time and he was tough,” Graham said. "And that’s why it wasn’t as nice for me because he was tough. It was a tough time when he was here for me coming off a knee injury. People not believing in me in the city, thinking I was a bust, and all this stuff.

"And even myself, thinking I was [a bust] at the time because, what had I done at that point? But we talked about it, got over it. I’m happy for the place that we are in. No animosity.”

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Young Players Don’t Know How Lucky They Are

Graham came into the NFL in a different era. Two-a-days were still the norm and former coach Andy Reid ran his players into the ground, highlighted by three-hour practices in full pads under the sweltering sun up at Lehigh University.

Those days are over under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Players are barely allowed to touch each other, let alone hit each other at training camp. Head coach Nick Sirianni is uber conscious of health and safety.

"I tell these boys y’all don’t know what a training camp really is,” Graham said. "Old school training camps where we were running two, three-hour practices for training camp and then OTAs used to be let’s get as many plays in as we can so we can play at a fast pace.”

As far as Graham’s torn Achilles, the 34-year-old is back to 100% health. He has been working in a variety of different positions at OTAs, from edge rusher to linebacker. He’s ready to add to his 59 career sacks.

"I worked a little outside backer today,” Graham said after Friday’s practice. "It’s cool, man, just learning it from a different scale. I’m doing drop in, I’m doing the 4i technique, I’m doing a bunch of different things, just trying to get better as a player and for myself.”

https://heavy.com/sports/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-veteran-sounds-off-on-expectations-for-former-1st-round-pick/

[UK_EaglesFan89]

I think he may have more of an impact this year just because he's going to be fighting more for snaps.

[nipples]

In my mind BG is one of those dudes that should never put on another uniform. Just like Kelce is, and like Dawk should have been. 

[Procus]

I would imagine BG will be playing fewer snaps this season given his age and coming off of injury.  Good to still have him on the team.