Larry Henry Jr
The Philadelphia Eagles continued bolstering their roster with the retainment of a key piece of their defense line.
Derek Barnett will return to the Eagles after signing a two-year contract on Thursday, the team announced. A former first-round draft pick in 2017 by the Eagles, Barnett has appeared in 64 games for the team.
The 25-year-old has contibuted 21.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 76 quarterback hits since entering the league. Barnett, a former standout at the University of Tennessee, has started 10 games or more in each of the past three seasons.
Barnett isn’t the only Eagles defensive lineman to sign a new contract with the team. Fletcher Cox also inked a new one-year contract with the Eagles, keeping two familiar faces in Jonathan Gannon’s defense for 2022.
The Eagles retain several defensive linemen heading into the new season. Javon Hargrave, Milton Williams, Brandon Graham, and Josh Sweat all played key roles in 2021 for the Eagles as the team made the NFL Playoffs.
Barnett will be joined by former Temple University standout Hasson Reddick this season after Reddick signed a three-year contract to join the Eagles this offseason.
Howie Roseman and his front office staff will continue their preparations for the 2022 NFL Draft, which takes place in late-April in Las Vegas.
You can follow Larry Henry on Twitter (@lhenry019) and e-mail him at [email protected].
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