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The Chicago Bears are armed with extra draft picks and a burning desire for an impact pass rusher. It seems as if the Philadelphia Eagles might have a solution in what would be a “low-risk move” for both franchises.
Derek Barnett has been a name floated out there in multiple trade proposals this offseason. The former first-round pick is coming off a torn ACL and all indications are he’s ready to break out in 2023. Better yet, Barnett carries a manageable cap hit ($3.1 million) and cheap base salary ($1.08 million) into his final year in Philly. The 26-year-old defensive end is a guy clearly on the roster bubble which could make him the perfect trade candidate.
Bleacher Report contributor Haize recently proposed sending Barnett to the Chicago Bears in exchange for either a fourth-rounder or third-rounder. He believes the oft-injured edge rusher has enough gas left in the tank to improve Chicago’s rebuilt defensive line.
“He’s 26 years old and he’s a steady and reliable pass rusher,” Haize said of Barnett. “So when he’s healthy he plays really well and so when you look at what he’s able to bring, kind of a low-risk move for the Chicago Bears, a player who typically when he’s healthy has gotten between 5 and 6.5 sacks … so, he’s player that the Bears could potentially go out and get that isn’t going to be a high-risk pick. You can give up maybe a future fourth — they may look for a third — but, again, a player you can bring in.”
Jalen Carter: ‘Story of Training Camp’
The Eagles are more than a month away from the start of training camp yet the hype train has begun. Rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter was the talk of the draft and the conversation has only grown louder since he first slipped on his Eagles cap. Carter — arguably the most talented player in the Class of 2023 — will be under the microscope this summer, binge-watched like a Netflix special.
Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia compared the buzz around Carter to the vibe surrounding Donovan McNabb in 1999. That’s saying something.
But honestly, I think you have to go back to Donovan’s rookie year – 24 summers ago at Lehigh – to find a rookie that brought this much buzz with him to training camp. Part of it is the two national championship teams he was a part of at Georgia. Part of it is how we all knew the Eagles wanted him all along. Part of it is the videos we’ve all seen from OTAs of the kid running around in shirts and shorts looking like a beast. The kid has all the tools, and he’s going to be the story of training camp. I just wish camp was still at Lehigh so every Eagles fan could watch him every day.
Connection to Georgia Teammate Nolan Smith
The Georgia connection will be strong up and down the Eagles’ roster in 2023, particularly along the defensive line. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith are the newcomers as they join their national championship-winning teammates Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean. The chemistry between Carter and Smith should make their transition to the NFL an easy one.
“I would say 100 percent. JC [Jalen Carter] knows I use him most of the time when I look to my left and shook my head, he knew what I was talking about, and that’s just that on-the-field connection from playing with him for two years,” Smith told reporters. “It’s only going to be more and more, and the connection is only going to get better and better the more we play with each other.”
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