Derek Barnett out for the season with knee injury

[time2rock]

Derek Barnett out for the season with knee injury

 

 

 

Reuben Frank

EAGLES INSIDER

Derek Barnett, the Eagles’ 1^st-round pick in 2017, is out for the season after suffering a major knee injury during the Eagles’ win over the Lions Sunday.

"Derek will be out and he tore his ACL, and obviously that’s a big blow for us," Nick Sirianni said Monday. "I love the way Derek Barnett comes to work every single day and plays with grittiness and toughness and (plays) nasty. 

"I am a huge Derek Barnett fan and he’ll be missed, so that sucks. I hate that for him, I hate that for this team. I can’t tell you how much I think of Derek." 

Barnett got hurt midway through the third quarter of the Eagles' win over the Lions on a 2^nd-and-8 play near midfield where Jared Goff threw incomplete to running back Jamaal Williams.

Barnett, now a rotational member of the Eagles’ defensive line, played 12 snaps before leaving the game.

The Eagles do have a healthy Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat as traditional 4-3 edge rushers, but with Barnett out the only other healthy defensive end on the roster is 2^nd-year pro Tarron Jackson, a 6^th-round pick out of Coastal Carolina last year. 

Jackson was inactive Sunday for the opener. He did play 253 snaps on defense as a rookie and had 18 tackles, no sacks and one forced fumble.

"Howie (Roseman) and his staff have done a great job of making us deep at the O and D lines," Sirianni said. "We have some good options there, we have a good rotation there. 

"Tarron wasn’t up yesterday, but how quickly it can turn from you not being up for a game to you having a significant role. We talk to the guys about that all the time and how if you’re a backup you’re one step from going in, and that’s the way it’ll play for Tarron. 

"My heart breaks for Derek, but I look forward to Tarron getting more reps.”

The only defensive end on the practice squad is third-year 30-year-old international exception player Matt Leo.

Once the Eagles place Barnett on Injured Reserve, they’ll have two open spots on the 53-man roster. They still haven’t filled the spot that opened when they placed Andre Dillard on IR with a broken arm.

The Eagles ranked 31st in the NFL with just 29 sacks last year. They had just one sack Sunday.

This is the second major injury Barnett has suffered in his six seasons with the Eagles. In 2018, he missed the last nine games of the season after undergoing rotator cuff surgery. He also underwent sports hernia surgery soon after the Super Bowl and missed two games in 2019 with an ankle injury. 

The Eagles made Barnett the 14^th pick in the 2017 draft, but he never turned into the feared pass rusher the Eagles hoped. He had just 21 ½ sacks in five years under his rookie contract and managed just two sacks last year.

He reached free agency after the season and the Eagles surprisingly re-signed him to a two-year, $14 million contract that could also be a one-year, $5 ½ million deal if the Eagles decide to finally cut ties with him after this season.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/derek-barnett-torn-acl-eagles-injuries-eagles-defense-nfl

[UK_EaglesFan89]

It's a blow because it's less rotation. It's a blow because he's somewhat competent and there aren't a lot of options out there. But he's really not going to be much of a loss. 

[weko]

T Jackson time

[time2rock]

19 minutes ago, weko said:

T Jackson time

Indeed.  I wasn't keen on bringing Barnett back and wish we just rolled with Jackson.  But I suppose it was an insurance policy if Graham suffered any setbacks and wouldn't be ready for the season.  

[pgcd3]

12 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Indeed.  I wasn't keen on bringing Barnett back and wish we just rolled with Jackson.  But I suppose it was an insurance policy if Graham suffered any setbacks and wouldn't be ready for the season.  

Need another body still. Don't even have a guy on PS (Matt Leo doesn't count)

[time2rock]

31 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

Need another body still. Don't even have a guy on PS (Matt Leo doesn't count)

That is something we were discussing in another thread (perhaps the practice squad thread?) that they really should have a DE there instead of 4 extra WRs.  There’s already an open roster spot so now with Barnett hitting IR we have 2 open spots.  Have to imagine Howie is looking to fill one of those with a DE.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 minute ago, time2rock said:

That is something we were discussing in another thread (perhaps the practice squad thread?) that they really should have a DE there instead of 4 extra WRs.  There’s already an open roster spot so now with Barnett hitting IR we have 2 open spots.  Have to imagine Howie is looking to fill one of those with a DE.  

Yeah it's a good and fair point. They've gone light at DE but then what options did they really have? Like I don't think they let any real promising DEs go? It is definitely a position of concern though. 

[time2rock]

6 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Yeah it's a good and fair point. They've gone light at DE but then what options did they really have? Like I don't think they let any real promising DEs go? It is definitely a position of concern though. 

I don’t disagree with that.  But they could potentially have signed someone who cleared waivers to the practice squad.  

Then there are also some notable vets that remain free agents for one reason or another:

Takkarist McKinley

Dee Ford

Benson Mayowa

Everson Griffen

… to name a few.

 

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Just now, time2rock said:

Then there are also some notable vets that remain free agents for one reason or another:

Takkarist McKinley

Dee Ford

Benson Mayowa

Everson Griffen

… to name a few.

 

And I think Howie needs to look at one of those options now. They need another solid DE in here. 

[time2rock]

15 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

And I think Howie needs to look at one of those options now. They need another solid DE in here. 

Indeed.  Agree 💯 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

3 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Indeed.  Agree 💯 

Ford could be an OK option...

[time2rock]

10 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Ford could be an OK option...

Wonder why some of those guys remain unsigned?  Lingering injury concerns?  Expecting too much $?

[pgcd3]

Just now, time2rock said:

Wonder why some of those guys remain unsigned?  Lingering injury concerns?  Expecting too much $?

I suspect Covey gets signed to the 53 which opens a PS spot.  He's just such a steady hand back there. Literally might have preserved win by using him.   I think any vet signed probably spends a week on PS to learn system

[time2rock]

11 hours ago, pgcd3 said:

I suspect Covey gets signed to the 53 which opens a PS spot.  He's just such a steady hand back there. Literally might have preserved win by using him.   I think any vet signed probably spends a week on PS to learn system

I thought Covey would have been added when a roster spot opened after Dillard when on IR (since we have a need for a PR / WR5) and there was an opening on the 53 (and the fact that they can only call up someone from the practice squad 3 times and send him back down without subjecting him to waivers).  I still think that is likely, especially now with 2 roster spots open … well once Barnett officially hits IR.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, time2rock said:

Wonder why some of those guys remain unsigned?  Lingering injury concerns?  Expecting too much $?

Probably a bit of both there yeah. But it'll be interesting to see if Howie now makes a move. I feel like he's got to. 

[EaglesAddict]

Tarron Jackson is the next man up.  But, I bet they use Milton Williams more at DE as well.  If need be, Reddick would be an option too.

[time2rock]

52 minutes ago, EaglesAddict said:

Tarron Jackson is the next man up.  But, I bet they use Milton Williams more at DE as well.  If need be, Reddick would be an option too.

I think those are all likely.  But still need to add another body to the rotation (especially with two open roster spots now).  Howie has to be scanning the list of players that have cleared waivers to add someone.  

[Rob331]

To all the haters who despised re-signing Barnett - don't wring your hands now. 

With only 3 DE's on the roster and none on the procatice squad the Eagles will have to look outside of the Novacare to fill the ole in the roster. 

I looked at practice squads around the league and I personally like Porter Gustin who is on Miami's PC. He's 6'5" 257 and listed as a LB. Whie BArnett was a DE only Gustin fits the "overhang" player mold in Gannon's system.