Should Philadelphia Eagles retain RB Kenjon Barner?
By Ryan Quigley
Running back Kenjon Barner isn’t exactly a key player for the Philadelphia Eagles, but he could be worth re-signing on a short-term deal.
The Philadelphia Eagles have several notable players set to become free agents on March 9. Bennie Logan, Nolan Carroll and Stefen Wisniewski all fall into that group. Of course, Logan’s situation will likely be the big story going into free agency. But another player set to become a restricted free agent is running back Kenjon Barner. With a backfield as shallow as the Eagles’, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the team to sign the 27-year-old back to a short, inexpensive deal.
Barner’s game is very similar to that of fellow Eagles running back Darren Sproles‘. He’s a smaller back who is effective as both a runner and as a receiver. He also brings good value as a special teams player. Sproles is set to retire following the 2017 season. When that happens, the Eagles will need to find a replacement for the electric playmaker and Barner would certainly be a viable candidate.
Barner has played in 23 games with the Eagles, recording 253 yards and two touchdowns during that span. Those statistics are far from mind-blowing, but Barner averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2016, which was a team high.
There are a couple ways the Eagles could go about retaining Barner. As a restricted free agent, Barner will have the right to accept offer sheets from other teams, but the Eagles will have a five-day period in which they can match that team’s offer. If the Eagles put a tender on Barner, they can let him sign with another team and not match the offer, but receive a draft pick in return.
For example, if the Eagles placed a tender on Barner and allowed him to sign with another team, they would then receive a sixth-round pick from that team (Barner was selected in the sixth round, which is why they would receive a sixth-round pick).
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Of course, the Eagles could also simply re-sign Barner prior to free agency as well to avoid losing him.
The Eagles have options with Barner. He’s proven to be a serviceable player in Philadelphia who won’t cost a lot of money. When Sproles retires next season, Barner would be the top candidate to receive an increased role in 2018—if he’s still an Eagle by that point.