Report: Eagles DE Derek Barnett 'gauging' the trade market for more playing time

[time2rock]

Report: Eagles DE Derek Barnett 'gauging' the trade market for more playing time

Per ESPN, Barnett is 'gauging' the trade market for more playing time elsewhere.

BY NICK TRICOME
PhillyVoice Staff

COLLEEN CLAGGETT/FOR PHILLYVOICE

Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett during the team's open practice at the Linc back on August 6, 2023.

Derek Barnett has started looking for opportunity elsewhere. 

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles defensive end is scanning the trade market to see if there's more playing time out there on another team, though the Eagles would still like to keep him in the plans for this season as added depth if possible. 

Philly's defensive line depth, especially on the edge – with Brandon Graham, Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Nolan Smith – is loaded, however, and Barnett has only fallen further back on the depth chart with the pass-rush unit only growing more talented – and crowded. 

UPDATE [2:55 p.m.] – Following the initial report of Barnett's search for a potential trade, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff  McLane added that the Eagles are "making it known" that they're after the best possible offer. 

McLane also noted that a few other players on the Eagles' roster bubble, like running back Trey Sermon – who is fifth down on the depth chart at the position behind D'Andre Swift, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Rashaad Penny – carry their own trade value as well and could be in play.

Barnett was drafted by the Eagles 14th overall in 2017 and went on to recover Brandon Graham's strip sack of Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII on the key play that helped finally bring a championship back to Philadelphia. 

But his trajectory ever since has been unsteady.

Barnett recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2019 as the Doug Pederson-Carson Wentz era started to wear thin, then struggled to carve out a role once Nick Sirianni came in, notching just two sacks in 2021 before an ACL tear wiped out his 2022 season. 

He's become more known for his temper and roles in shoving matches or outright fights in practice, which hasn't helped his stock over the past couple of years, and definitely not as an influx of younger, more promising pass rushers have been added to the roster.

Still, he's 27 and can contribute to a team that's weak off the edge if they have something to offer the Eagles.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/eagles-news-derek-barnett-seeking-trade-report-defensive-end-nfl/

[time2rock]

Quote

UPDATE [2:55 p.m.] – Following the initial report of Barnett's search for a potential trade, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff  McLane added that the Eagles are "making it known" that they're after the best possible offer. 

Breaking news ... lol!!  What a Captain Obvious statement for an update.

[PoconoDon]

He was a part of a special run but since then, he's been more of a liability than an asset. Let him go.

[time2rock]

35 minutes ago, PoconoDon said:

He was a part of a special run but since then, he's been more of a liability than an asset. Let him go.

Trading him would result in $1.125M in cap savings and a dead cap hit of only $1.17M (since we are past June 1).  If my math is correct, that would then lead to the remainder of the dead money being added to the 2024 cap of $3.99M.  

[UK_EaglesFan89]

I’m good with getting something for him if we can. I’m also for keeping him as a depth guy as he does have NFL experience and for a bottom end of the depth chart basis he’s pretty good.

[EaglesAddict]

[Alpha_TATEr]

is he looking for more playing time to get more personal foul calls? 

they go hand and hand with this guy. 

[Wormlegs]

If they can get something in return then go for it. I am sure there is already someone else on the team that can be his rotational replacement and deliver similar output

[FranklinFldEBUpper]

10 minutes ago, Wormlegs said:

If they can get something in return then go for it. I am sure there is already someone else on the team that can be his rotational replacement and deliver similar output

He’s a much better player than the defensive ends on the depth chart behind him. I understand that most fans seem to hate him and want him gone yesterday, but replacing him would not be as easy as they seem to think.

[Wormlegs]

1 hour ago, FranklinFldEBUpper said:

He’s a much better player than the defensive ends on the depth chart behind him. I understand that most fans seem to hate him and want him gone yesterday, but replacing him would not be as easy as they seem to think.

I hear what you're saying. Being drafted as high as he was, I expected him to be more dominant and more than a rotational player

[time2rock]

54 minutes ago, Wormlegs said:

I hear what you're saying. Being drafted as high as he was, I expected him to be more dominant and more than a rotational player

That and add in all the boneheaded reckless penalties.  But I'll forever have a special place in my heart for him for that strip sack on Brady in LII.

[sameaglesfan]

19 hours ago, time2rock said:

That and add in all the boneheaded reckless penalties.  But I'll forever have a special place in my heart for him for that strip sack on Brady in LII.

I'm pretty sure that someone else might have had the "strip sack" although 96 did come up with the ball...

Just sayin'

[LacesOut]

I’d be ok with him staying AND I’d be ok with him leaving.

He’s been in the League long enough to know that he needs to curtail his on field stupidity.

[eagle45]

I'm sure, somewhere on some crappy defense, there is a 4-3 DE penciled into a starting lineup that is marginally worse than Barnett.  They are probably a younger player and higher pick with more upside.  But maybe, if someone wants to check, there is an inferior low upside player out there.

Even still, no one is trading meaningful draft value for Barnett for that marginal upgrade.

[rafflee]

He's on a Superbowl Contender....LOOOOONG Season to earn playing time.... and he wants to leave????....  what a Loser!!!!