Philadelphia Eagles could be without Derek Barnett for Week 1
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett is still a question mark to begin the 2019 NFL season this week.
In just a few days, the Philadelphia Eagles will arrive at Lincoln Financial Field for a meaningful football game. For Week 1, the Eagles host their NFC East rivals, the Washington Redskins. After a long season, the Eagles are hoping to get fully healthy and have their starters back out on the field — but not everybody might be ready for that.
The good news is that a handful of critical starters are healed up and ready to go. Safety Rodney McLeod got some action during the third week of the preseason, so he will be available. Fletcher Cox missed the entire summer, but he’s been available at practice as well.
Cornerback Ronald Darby is expected to play after recovering from an ACL tear, and DeSean Jackson will sport a splint for his broken finger. Right now, the Eagles seem to be relatively healthy, but their young defensive end Derek Barnett might not be ready yet.
The latest on Barnett
Last season, Barnett got off to a hot start for his Sophomore effort. It was his first season as a starter, and surprisingly, Barnett was leading the team in sacks off the edge. Unfortunately, his season concluded early, due to a shoulder injury, which required surgery.
Six weeks into the season, Barnett’s Sophomore effort hit a slump. Ever since the injury, he’s been recovering. While Barnett made his way back to the field this week to practice, he’s only been participating on a limited basis, according to Wednesday’s injury report.
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When Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz met with the media on Thursday, he didn’t sound too optimistic about Barnett playing this Sunday. When asked about Barnett, Schwartz mentioned he wasn’t sure if the third-year defensive end would be available to play.
After stating that Barnett may not be available, Schwartz then went on to say that he was confident in the depth behind Barnett. If the third-year defensive end cannot get on the field, Vinny Curry will take on his starting role, with Josh Sweat or Daeshon Hall rotating in.