The Houston Texans have swiftly secured the services of veteran edge rusher Derek Barnett, who was recently waived by the Philadelphia Eagles. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Barnett has been claimed off waivers by the Texans, marking his quick transition to a new NFL home.
Barnett became available last Friday when the Eagles waived him, making him subject to the waiver wire on Monday. Instead of becoming a free agent and having the liberty to choose his next destination, the Texans opted to claim him, bolstering their edge rusher unit with a seasoned presence. Schefter mentioned that Houston had previously expressed interest in trading for Barnett leading up to the 2023 trade deadline.
The former first-round pick was part of trade discussions before last month’s deadline, but his limited playing time and production diminished his trade value. However, as a pending free agent, Barnett’s contract presented an easily movable option for the Eagles, who restructured his deal before waiving him. The Texans will inherit his contract, which includes a base salary of $420K and some per-game roster bonuses.
While the Miami Dolphins were reportedly considering adding Barnett, the Texans, with their claim, secured him first. Barnett, at 27 years old, will embark on a new chapter in his career after a somewhat underwhelming conclusion to his time with the Eagles.
Barnett had displayed promise early in his career, registering at least five sacks in three of his first four seasons. However, his production dipped in 2021, with just two sacks, and a season-ending ACL tear in Week 1 left him sidelined for the entirety of the previous season. Although healthy this season, he struggled to secure playing time within the Eagles’ deep defensive front, amassing only 99 defensive snaps and three tackles.
Leave a Reply