Derek Barnett is 22. He is just 22. There were two players, just two, on the Eagles' 53-man roster Sunday who are younger than he is: Josh Adams and Josh Sweat. Of the five players the Eagles selected in this year's NFL draft, just one, Sweat, is younger than Barnett. It feels like he should be older. He joined the Eagles in April 2017, when they picked him in that draft's first round, yet it feels like he's been here longer. Maybe it's because you keep hearing his name in those moments that matter most.
In last season's NFC Championship Game, it was Barnett who sacked Case Keenum on a key third down in the second quarter, forcing a fumble and a turnover that stopped the Minnesota Vikings from scoring a game-tying touchdown.