Philadelphia Eagles: Kenjon Barner making case for roster
Whether it ends up being in Philadelphia or not, Eagles running back and former Oregon Ducks star Kenjon Barner is making his case for an NFL roster somewhere, as was pointed out in yesterday’s training camp roundup…
Because who doesn't love a 92-yard, tackle-breaking TD return? #INDvsPHI http://t.co/9h293p5Ivd
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2015
Barner’s return for a touchdown against the Colts was reminiscent of his glory days as a member of the Oregon Ducks before he was drafted in the mid-rounds but the Panthers and rendered nearly irrelevant by NFL standards.
Cut by the Panthers (probably prematurely), Barner was a free agent and signed on with the Eagles and Chip Kelly, which is as obvious a fit as any that could have been out there.
It wasn’t much offensively, but Barner had six carries and averaged nearly 5 yards per carry, and also finished with a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
Not having had a regular season touch since 2013, Barner’s return to NFL relevance has been slow going, but he’s finally back out there doing what he does best, and if he can continue to put together some nice film, he’s going to make it really tough for the Eagles to just let him go, and other NFL teams are going to be chomping at the bit to snag him off the waiver wire should he not make final cuts.
In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to see some teams start to bid for him via trade if they are thin at running back or on special teams. Clubs like the Dallas Cowboys have an obvious need for someone at the running back position, but there’s no way the Eagles are going to make a trade with their division rival unless the price is absolutely in their favor.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a team like the Denver Broncos try and swing a trade for Barner with as dire as their current punt return situation is. The Broncos have a ton of backs on the roster right now, but only Ronnie Hillman really boasts true speed, and none of the backs offer any return capabilities.
Barner would be a really nice player for the Broncos to have right now, but that’s only if the Eagles are willing to trade him.
Either way, his value is on the way out of this stratosphere after a big preseason debut and the Eagles are set to reap the benefits one way or another.