Barnes barely had time to unpack his bags in Philly.


About two hours before the final cuts, the Eagles swung a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for DE/OLB Antwan Barnes. The Ravens, in return, received a 2011 seventh-round pick and the praise for Barnes started rolling in hot and heavy from the front office.

We heard about how the team was looking at him during the 2007 draft and thought very highly of him. We heard how he was going to be great for the team on third down passing situations and that his athleticism would be a great addition for Sean McDermott's defense.

But less than a month into the season, he's been cut and signed by a different team (San Diego Chargers) and the team is out a seventh-round pick.

Initially, it's tough to get on Andy Reid and the front office because their trades hit more often than they miss, but what they're doing this year is almost inexplicable. The pick for Barnes has been wasted, the pick for Reggie Wells is being wasted as he undeservingly sits on the bench, and I'm still convinced they gave up far too much for Darryl Tapp.

Sure, he's been fairly impressive the past couple weeks, but a fourth-round pick and Chris Clemons was a hefty price to pay for a guy who might play 15 snaps per game -- if he's lucky.

I'm also still not sure what landed Barnes on the inactive list and eventually on the waiver wire.

To me, it seemed like he was getting good pressure when he was in the game. He appeared quick off the edge and seemed to have some decent secondary moves -- especially for a guy who hadn't played defensive end since college.

So after trading for a guy he knew would be a project Reid decides to cut him loose less than a month into the season? What in the hell is Reid thinking? He did the same thing a couple years ago when he traded a seventh-round pick for FB Luke Lawton. If memory serves me correctly, Lawton didn't even make it to the regular season.

But at least fullback was a position of dire need. Defensive end was one of the team's deeper positions and yet Reid thought enough of Barnes to sacrifice a draft pick for him. So again, why give the guy less than a month to transition into a new position?

Or perhaps the better question is why in the hell Reid is once again trying to move a guy from 3-4 outside linebacker to defensive end? How many times is he going to try this before he realizes it's not as easy as he thinks it is?

He already tried it once this year with Alex Hall (another busted trade), and has drafted guys better suited for the 3-4 like Chris Gocong and Ricky Sapp. Gocong is now starting in the Browns' 3-4 scheme and Sapp has been stashed away on IR because he was not ready to come in and play defensive end in this league.

I understand it's just a seventh-round pick, but this is getting ridiculous. Trading for Barnes in the first place was a head-scratcher, but the way they talked him up paired with a pretty decent showing early in the season had me thinking there was some potential in him.

And then, a few weeks later, he's clear across the country once again playing in the 3-4.

Clearly Reid is just throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. That might have worked in years past when the team had a bit more glue to work with, but it's not working this year.

I've been a vocal Reid supporter, but perhaps it's time to reconsider my position.

UPDATE (sort of): The Eagles have signed defensive end Pannel Egboh to the practice squad, likely in an effort to replace Barnes. Egboh, if you recall, was picked up by the team before the final preseason game and had an impressive showing as he racked up one sack and forced fumble.

Egboh will take the spot left vacant by receiver Chad Hall.