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The Eagles might be surprise sellers at the NFL trade deadline, according to multiple reports. Alshon Jeffery, Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, Brandon Graham, Will Parks have all been mentioned as moveable assets ahead of Nov 3. Here’s one more to add to that high-profile list: Derek Barnett, the former first-round pick (14th overall) out of Tennessee.
Philadelphia picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract this past offseason, but that could be fool’s gold. It doesn’t bind them to the player. Barnett is set to make roughly $10 million in 2021, per Spotrac, and carries a $4.1 million cap hit this year. The 24-year-old has 3.5 sacks in six games this season and 17.5 career sacks in four injury-plagued years in Philly.
According to NFL Insider Adam Caplan, multiple teams have called the Eagles to see if Barnett is available in a trade. However, Caplan further elaborated and was crystal clear about the nature of those talks. The Eagles are not actively shopping either Barnett or fellow young edge rusher Josh Sweat.
“All I said was is that the Eagles got calls on Barnett. That’s it. They are not shopping Barnett,” Caplan said on his Inside the Birds podcast. “And they’re not shopping Sweat. In fact, teams I spoke with said, the Eagles told me Sweat is not available and they aren’t trying to trade Barnett. End of story.”
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Eagles Remain High on Barnett’s Potential
It’s not shocking to hear his name linked to trade rumors. Not at all. The 6-foot-3, 259-pounder has drawn the ire of fans for not being able to stay healthy, although he does have arguably the most clutch fumble recovery in franchise history when he scooped up Graham’s strip-sack on Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII. Plus, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz absolutely loves Barnett.
“He missed most of training camp with an injury and sort of started slow but we’re seeing the player that we expect with him and he’s been productive for us on the field,” Schwartz told reporters earlier this week. “Always plays hard. Always plays tough. That’s a given. But I think that move and limiting some of his other moves has been productive for him.”
And it wasn’t the first time that Schwartz had praised Barnett’s potential. He spoke highly of the fourth-year defensive end coming out of training camp.
“I’m still very bullish on Derek,” Schwartz said on Sept. 8. “I think he’s going to play a big part in what we do. He’s tough. He can rush the passer. He plays with great effort. Not the biggest guy but he’s strong at the point of attack, and run game. I think he fits our system. He has had some unfortunate things with injuries, but he’ll put those behind him.”
Will Parks on Trade Market?
The biggest surprise name to hear possibly being on the trade block was Parks. The former Broncos safety was mentioned as being available by Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer despite not granting the Eagles much salary-cap relief.
The theory is that the team just wants to get younger at the position and see what rookie K’Von Wallace can do in an expanded role. Keep an eye on Parks and the entire Eagles secondary as the Nov. 3 trade deadline draws even closer.
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