Texans claim Barnett off waivers

The Houston Texans claimed defensive end Derek Barnett off waivers, the team announced Monday.

Barnett, a first-round pick in 2017, was released by the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.

The Texans considered trading for him before the deadline earlier this year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Barnett fell out of favor in the Eagles' defensive line rotation prior to his release. He reportedly requested a trade this past offseason. He played just 20% of their defensive snaps in 2023 and hasn't recorded a sack.

Barnett missed all but one game in 2022 due to an ACL tear, but he started 45 games for Philadelphia between his second season in 2018 and 2021. He set career highs in 2019 with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss.

He joins a Texans team that finds itself in the AFC playoff race after compiling a 6-5 record through 11 games. He'll aim to add more pass-rushing ability to a unit that has produced 24 sacks, tied for eighth-lowest in the NFL.

To make room for Barnett, the Texans released kicker Matt Ammendola, who missed a game-tying 58-yard field goal Sunday.

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