The Philadelphia Eagles made a surprising move on Friday, releasing one-time first-round pick Derek Barnett. The news broke first through ESPN's Adam Schefter, although there has been no immediate confirmation from the Eagles themselves.

Barnett, who was selected as the 14th pick in the 2017 draft, had a somewhat inconsistent career with the Eagles. In 73 career games, he managed to record a total of 21 ½ sacks. However, his performance seemed to decline in recent times, as he failed to record a sack in his last 15 games.

One of Barnett's most memorable moments came during Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, where he recovered a crucial fumble forced by Brandon Graham and contributed to the team's victory over the New England Patriots.

During his rookie season, Barnett showed promise, tallying 5.0 sacks. In the following years, he maintained a relatively decent level of production, recording 6 ½ sacks in 2019 and 5 ½ sacks in 2020. However, his performance took a significant hit in 2021, as he managed to only achieve 2.0 sacks.

Barnett's playing time and contributions had been dwindling this year. Initially utilized as a rotational edge rusher, he averaged 14 defensive snaps per game until the Jets game. After that, his playing time decreased significantly, with only seven snaps against the Dolphins and Washington.

In a surprising turn of events, Barnett was deemed inactive for the Dallas game, and he was also ruled out of the Chiefs game due to personal reasons. Additionally, he missed practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday this week, once again citing personal reasons.

While there is no official confirmation linking Barnett's reduced playing time and his absences for personal reasons to his subsequent release, it seems highly probable that these factors played a role in the Eagles' decision.

Barnett's release comes as a significant move for the Eagles, as they part ways with a once-promising talent who struggled to maintain consistency and failed to make an impact on the field this season. As the Eagles move forward, their decision to release Barnett raises questions about their plans for their defensive lineup.

It remains to be seen what Barnett's future holds in the NFL, as he becomes a free agent and looks for a new opportunity to revive his career.