Philadelphia Eagles Cut Derek Barnett; Should Atlanta Falcons Sign?
Former Philadelphia Eagles first-round pick Derek Barnett has always been a good NFL player, but he's been stuck in a very deep defensive end group with one of the league's top teams ... until now.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Eagles have waived Barnett, and now he will have a chance to join another team.
Could the Atlanta Falcons make sense as a destination for Barnett?
The Eagles restructured the defensive end's deal on the first day of training camp, bringing his salary down from $7 million to $3.5 with the potential to make $2.25M in incentives, which means he is coming in on a discounted price.
Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett
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Sure, the Falcons can afford him, and Atlanta has looked to make some changes to the defensive line. Barnett would be a strong addition to the team that also added Calais Campbell and David Onyemata during the offseason. Given the fact that the team has lost Grady Jarrett to a torn ACL, having depth with Barnett could be a positive thing for the Falcons.
However, there is risk when it comes to Barnett.
He tore his ACL in the Week 1 opener last season and has been recovering ever since. He's healthy now, but questions remain as to how his knee will affect him moving forward. In his last full season in 2021, Barnett recorded 46 tackles and two sacks.
However, if the Falcons want to end their playoff drought, taking a flier on a low-risk, high-reward player in Barnett could be worth it for Atlanta.
