It’s no secret that the Philadelphia Eagles are stacked along the defensive line.
With veterans like Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, and Haason Reddick penciled in as the Eagles’ top pass-rushers and rookies Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith ready to make an impact, playing time could be sparse for other players on the D-line.
Sensing that his role could be diminishing, former first-round pick Derek Barnett reportedly requested a trade towards the end of training camp. Barnett broke Reggie White’s sack record at Tennessee, compiling 33 sacks in college before being selected by the Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft.
So far, Howie Roseman has been mum on any updates regarding progress on a potential deal but that doesn’t mean that teams aren’t calling for the Eagles pass-rusher.
Chicago Bears Among Teams That Could Trade For Derek Barnett
Heading into Week 1, edge rusher remains a very glaring need for the Chicago Bears, who are trying to break through in the NFC North.
With the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Chicago elected to pick left tackle Darnell Wright from Tennessee with a selection that ironically came via a trade with the Eagles. What happened next surprised Bears fans, as 11 pass-rushers were selected before the second-round pick.
Barnett makes sense for the Bears and would be a natural fit in the team’s 4-3 scheme. The depth chart is thin at defensive end, particularly on the right side, which could give Barnett a logical path to earn more snaps.
DeMarcus Walker, a free-agent addition, is the best pass-rusher on the Bears roster but he’s had more than five sacks in a season just once in his six-year NFL career.
Chicago has seven selections in the first five rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, including the Eagles’ fourth-round pick.
Eagles-Bears Trade Proposal For Derek Barnett
- Eagles Receive: 4th Round Pick (via Eagles)
- Bears Receive: DE Derek Barnett
At this point, the Eagles don’t have a lot of leverage in dealing Barnett.
The disgruntled defensive end is coming off of a serious knee injury and had only two sacks in his last full season in 2021. However, the former first-round pick still has a solid NFL pedigree. Just 27 years old,
Barnett has racked up 21.5 career sacks and should still be worth a fourth or fifth-round pick.
In this scenario, we have the Eagles getting back their original 2024 fourth-round selection, which will likely be the worst of the Bears’ two fourth-round picks this year.
