Philadelphia Eagles: 2 Thoughts on 2 areas where Derek Barnett must improve

1. It’s time for the Philadelphia Eagles to see the pass rusher that we keep hearing Barnett is.

By now, you’re no doubt sick of hearing Derek Barnett broke Reggie White‘s sack record at Tennessee. Though an accurate statement, it’s also misleading. Barnett’s collegiate resume exceeds White’s by 17 games in a Volunteers jersey.

White worked his way into the Volunteers record books over the course of two on-field seasons and 22 career games. It would take Barnett three seasons to pass what the man who is perhaps the greatest defensive player in NFL history did while cutting his teeth at the NCAA level.

That isn’t stated to diminish what Derek Barnett accomplished at the collegiate level. It’s only meant to shed some light on a narrative that, at this point, has become overstated.

Any time someone can be mentioned in the same breath with the NFL’s G.O.A.T. on defense, you’ve done something great, and calling White the greatest isn’t met to be disrespectful to Lawrence Taylor or anyone else that’s ever been mentioned in that category. It’s the “Minister of Defense” though. Any statements of him being the G.O.A.T. shouldn’t be met with too much anger by anyone. Any reason to compare Barnett to him should be done to compliment “96” for what he is, not to put him down for what he isn’t.

Now, that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here are two immediate thoughts about Barnett the pass rusher.