One Possible EDGE That Could Make Sense for Vikings via Trade
The Minnesota Vikings scooted into the summer of 2020 with robust plans to start Danielle Hunter and the upstart Ifeadi Odenigbo on opposite sides of their defensive line. Best laid plans — is what happened there.
Hunter was lost to a season-long neck injury a few months later, creating a collective “uh oh” for a roster that most presumed would contend for the playoffs — even after the organization traded Stefon Diggs in April of that year. But before the sorrowful Hunter injury news broke, general manager Rick Spielman traded a 2nd-Round pick to the rebuilding Jacksonville Jaguars for EDGE rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
The hype was palpable.
Hunter and Ngkaoue would intermingle to form a ferocious tandem of pass-rushing hell. Except the two never played a single snap together. The Ngakoue experiment failed miserably, ending in a trade of the ex-Jaguar to the Baltimore Ravens during the Vikings bye week for a 3rd-Round clawback draft pick.
The Vikings used the Ngakoue trade capital to select Patrick Jones II — a defensive end from the University of Pittsburgh — and will receive a 5th-Round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft from the Ravens, too. The Jaguars used the Vikings trade spoils from Ngakoue to nab Walker Little, an offensive tackle from Stanford.
Could Spielman pull of another EDGE trade this summer? Maybe.
The DE names are scarce, at least in terms of players that are rumored on the trade block. But if the Vikings want to improve on the trio of Stephen Weatherly, D.J. Wonnum, and Patrick Jones II — or — if they refused to sign Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, or Everson Griffen, Derek Barnett from the Philadelphia Eagles may be available for the taking.
October 4, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Derek Barnett (96) during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Barnett has not been a pass-rushing force to date, but he is a 1st-Round talent chosen by the Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft. He will earn $10 million during 2021, the final year of his rookie deal. That sum is a bit pricy for the Vikings. However, with $11.7 million available in cap space, Spielman could make the deal work if Barnett was indeed on his radar.
For Philadelphia, Barnett is pseudo-expendable now because general manager Howie Roseman welcomed Ryan Kerrigan to the team, a defensive end formerly of the Washington Football Team. It is unclear if Barnett or Kerrigan will start opposite Brandon Graham. Should the Eagles nominate Kerrigan for the gig, Barnett could be lonesome on the Eagles roster.
The University of Tennessee alumnus, Barnett, was not used all that much during the pandemic season. He played on 49% of all Eagles defensive snaps, missing time due to a hamstring strain. Barnett has tallied 19.5 sacks in 48 career games — not exactly a figure that screams trade for this man. Often, though, pass rushers start their respective careers modestly. Through 48 career games (Barnett’s current total), Jason Taylor accrued the same total (19.5), Chris Doleman registered 17 sacks, Michael Strahan had 16 sacks, and John Randle totaled 9.5. Just like Everson Griffen — who Barnett would theoretically replace — took a handful of seasons to get cooking.
The x-factor would be head coach Mike Zimmer’s tutelage along with co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson. $10 million is a large investment for a team with $11.7 million in cap space. Yet, Barnett would start at RDE — a spot that is awkwardly up in the air for the Vikings at the moment.
Barnett’s grades per season via Pro Football Focus are as follows:
- 2017 = 67.8
- 2018 = 67.5
- 2019 = 59.2
- 2020 = 67.9
To be sure, this is not otherworldly stuff. But neither were the scores for the aforementioned Griffen until Zimmer got a hold of him in 2014. That was the season that Griffen’s career mysteriously (sarcasm) took off.
The price for Barnett? Probably a 4th, 5th, or 6th Rounder.
You must be logged in to post a comment.