Eagles release fan favorite Connor Barwin right before NFL free agency starts

Despite being willing to take a pay cut this offseason, Connor Barwin ended up the latest cap casualty for the Philadelphia Eagles right before the start of free agency. Originally signed to a six-year, $36 million deal with the team, Barwin already restructured his deal back in 2015, and was set to earn $7 million in 2017.

The 49ers could be his next landing spot. According to Albert Breer, they inquired about a trade before Barwin was released.

Barwin was drafted in 2009 by the Houston Texans, where he played for three seasons before heading up North to Philly. The defensive end hasn’t missed a game in any of his eight seasons — not including 2010, when he missed the entire season due to an ankle injury. The fan favorite has been with the Eagles since the 2013 season, and was nominated for the NFL Man of the Year award in 2014 and 2015 for his work within the Philadelphia community.

Barwin thanked the city and Eagles fans soon after he was released:

“It’s rare to come across a player who invests so much of himself in the locker room, as a leader on the field, and with his relentless work ethic. His work in the community will have a lasting impact on our city that we can all be very proud of,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said. “Obviously this was a difficult decision for us but we wish him and his family all the best. On behalf of all of us we just wanted to say thank you and we all hope that our paths cross again in the future.”

He had his career-best season in 2014, where the defender claimed 14.5 sacks in addition to 64 total tackles and two forced fumbles. Helping pad his stats a little was the fact he lined up at outside linebacker in the 3-4 defensive scheme. Following his incredible season, Barwin worked with the Eagles to restructure his contract, freeing up some cap space in 2015 and padding the long-term costs.

It was an effort that would be tough to replicate regularly, but with a new head coach and defensive coordinator, the new 4-3 scheme adopted by the Eagles in 2016 led to less production by Barwin. The defender has speed and athleticism that can succeed in any scheme, but doesn’t have quite enough strength to be an every-down pass rusher. He recorded his least amount of tackles (34) last season since his rookie year.

Now at 30 years old, Barwin can still make a big impact with a team whose scheme works with his talent.