Connor Barwin Has Contract Restructured With Eagles

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Connor Barwin, 28, is due for a pay raise after the monumental season he had last year. Barwin signed a six-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency two years ago worth an average of $6 million annually that included a $3 million signing bonus. Even though the Eagles are up against the cap, this is not a situation where it gives this organization more cap space.

This is a situation in which the team is rewarding a player who had 14.5 sacks last year, and made it to the pro bowl by beating out Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan who had one less sack than Barwin last season. He’s a difference-maker, but then so is Barwin. Furthermore, the deal added $750,000 to the last three years of Barwin’s deal and guaranteed his $6.4 million in his 2015 base salary along with $3 million of his 2016 base salary.

Barwin is now slated to make $6.75 million in 2016 (with $3 million guaranteed), $7.75 million in 2017 and $9.25 million in 2018. Barwin’s job wasn’t in jeopardy, so the guarantee of his 2015 base salary isn’t much of a bonus. The guaranteed $3 million of his 2016 base salary makes it more likely he’ll be retained that year even though he’ll turn 30.

The Eagles recently re-signed outside linebacker Brandon Graham, a career backup, to a deal worth about $6.5 annually, so bumping up Barwin’s pay was essential since he was the most productive outside linebacker for the Eagles last season.