The Eagles will be without defensive end Derek Barnett for the rest of the 2018 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Barnett, 22, is reportedly having shoulder surgery and his season is over.
Barnett suffered his shoulder injury during the Titans game and he then missed the Vikings game. He returned to play against the Giants and Panthers, but apparently couldn't continue to go.
His second NFL season will end with 2½ sacks. Before the shoulder injury, Barnett had been the Eagles' best and most consistent defensive end.
Without Barnett, the Eagles will likely start Michael Bennett at right defensive end. This will have a domino effect because not only will it limit the defensive end rotation, it will also likely limit the number of snaps Bennett can take inside at defensive tackle.
The Eagles were already thin at DT, having just Fletcher Cox, Treyvon Hester and Bruce Hector healthy for the Panthers game. Even when Haloti Ngata (calf) returns, the Eagles still don't have a ton of depth there. Tim Jernigan is allowed to return according to the Non-football Injury rules, but there's been no indication he's close to being ready.
At least in the short term, this should mean an uptick in defensive snaps for rookie Josh Sweat and added importance on Chris Long's role. Sweat has played just 15 defensive snaps all season.
Philadelphia Eagles
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and their NFL rivals from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Barnett, of course, was the Eagles' first-round selection last season. He was a rotational player as a rookie, but assumed a starting role in his second NFL season, even after the Eagles traded for a Pro Bowler in Bennett. Early this season, Barnett showed the ability to not just rush the passer but play very well in the run game.
Go ahead and add Barnett to the Eagles' ever-growing list of players on injured reserve:
Derek Barnett
Jay Ajayi
Mike Wallace
Mack Hollins
Rodney McLeod
Richard Rodgers
Destiny Vaeao
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.
