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Eagles DE Derek Barnett recovered the game-sealing fumble in Tremendous Bowl LII for Philadelphia.
The Eagles have been pressured to train the fifth-year possibility Derek Barnett’s contract. Is he definitely worth the money and time?
Barnett, the fourth-year edge rusher out of Tennessee, has loved a roller-coaster trip to begin his NFL profession. He began on the pinnacle — 5 sacks in 15 video games as a rookie, together with that epic game-saving fumble restoration in Tremendous Bowl LII — however the trip again down has been stuffed with potholes.
Barnett missed 10 video games in 2018 after hurting his shoulder and present process season-ending surgical procedure. Misplaced 12 months. Then, he missed two video games in 2019 with a lingering ankle damage. Barnett nonetheless managed to complete the marketing campaign with a career-high 6.5 sacks however ruffled some feathers with on-the-field antics.
For instance, the 23-year-old lowered the increase on the Packers’ Jamaal Williams in Week 4. He was fined $28,075 by the NFL for the soiled helmet-to-helmet hit. Then, Barnett acquired a 15-yard penalty for pointless roughness in Week 5 versus the Jets for lunging at Alex Lewis’ knees. One other unlawful shot.
He was additionally known as for pointless roughness in Week 2 when he took out Falcons guard Jamon Brown on a blind-side block. Not fairly as soiled, however nonetheless soiled.
That made three questionable hits within the span of 5 weeks. He completed with eight penalties (65 yards) on the 12 months. However, is he a unclean participant?
“Derek’s the kind of man who's going to play by way of the whistle,” former Eagles defensive position coach Phillip Daniels instructed NBC Sports activities Philadelphia. “I don’t suppose he’s the sort of man that goes on the market to attempt to damage anyone. He’s simply doing his job and enjoying by way of the whistle.”
Breaking Down Barnett’s Contract State of affairs
There's a case to be made for Derek Barnett being a bust. Sure, he has racked up 14 sacks in three seasons (35 video games). That may be a good quantity of manufacturing in restricted snaps. Bear in mind, the 259-pounder was the 14th general decide within the 2017 NFL Draft.
Barnett inked a four-year contract price $12.85 million, plus a $7.5 million signing bonus. He’ll earn roughly $2.2 million in base wage in 2020 ($4.1 million cap hit). The Eagles will now pay him $10 million for 2021 by advantage of choosing up his fifth-year possibility. (Editor’s observe: the group did the identical factor final 12 months once they picked up Nelson Agholor’s possibility at $9.Four million).
So, is it sufficient manufacturing? Is he definitely worth the cash?
The reply needs to be sure, for no different purpose than the Eagles don't have any depth at defensive finish. Thay failed to handle the place on this 12 months’s draft once they determined to not commerce up for LSU pass-rusher Ok’Lavon Chaisson within the first spherical after which handed on Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa within the second spherical. They could have gotten good worth as an alternative of these guys — relying in your opinion of Jalen Hurts — however they left the cabinet naked at defensive finish.
Eagles’ Depth Chart at Defensive Finish for 2020
Derek Barnett will flip 24 years previous in June. He’s very younger and really gifted. His 33 profession sacks on the College of Tennesse is a college file, a mark he usurped from the legendary Reggie White (32) in 2016.
Barnett now enters the 2020 season as a cornerstone on the defensive position, together with veterans Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox. Third-year finish Josh Sweat will look to construct off a promising four-sack marketing campaign in 2019, with Daeshon Corridor and Joe Ostman and Shareef Miller left as the nice unknowns. The Eagles let one member of the Tremendous Bowl group, Vinny Curry, depart in free company. Nobody has but signed him.
Backside line, the Eagles had no different selection when it got here to Barnett. They needed to make investments $10 million sooner or later, on the premise that he sheds the bust label and lives as much as his first-round standing. That appears to be a typical theme today in Philadelphia.
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