Report: Derek Barnett out for the season with shoulder injury
23 October 2018 Eagles News
ESPN Insider Adam Shefter reports that DE Derek Barnett is out for the season and is undergoing surgery. Barnett will need surgery for a torn rotator cuff, which will send him to the IR.
Eagles’ DE Derek Barnett is undergoing shoulder surgery and is now out for the season, per source. The former first-round pick recorded 2.5 sacks and 17 tackles this season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2018
This is bad news for the Eagles defensive line, who still has one of the deepest groups across the front of the line. However, losing one of your youngest studs and playmakers off the edge is never a good thing for a pass rush that needs to improve. Unfortunately, Barnett tried to play through the injury, but was unable to. Barnett ends his 2018 season with 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks on his 2018 resume.
Moving forward, the Eagles will now rely on Michael Bennett and Josh Sweat to take on more snaps, leaving Brandon Graham and Chris Long as the only other defensive ends on the roster.
The injury bug is a real concern looking the Eagles in the eye and for the second straight year they’ll have to embrace the next-man-up-mentality.
Gayle Saunders Chris Long, Derek Barnett, Josh Sweat, Michael Bennett