Connor Barwin, Eagles Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

The Philadelphia Eagles have pursued plenty of exterior options to bolster their roster this offseason, and on Wednesday, they took care of one of their own in linebacker Connor Barwin.  

Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com provided details on Barwin's restructured contract, which appears to reward him rather than decrease his pay grade:

ESPN's Adam Caplan provided the financial details: 

Barwin took to Twitter to assure fans he'd remain an Eagle for the foreseeable future:

"

I'm not going anywhere! Thanks Jeffrey, Chip, Howie and everyone in the @Eagles organization for their support. pic.twitter.com/rDKjBiAGha

— Connor Barwin (@ConnorBarwin98) March 18, 2015"

Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News analyzed the situation in the context of Philly's decision to retain backup linebacker Brandon Graham in free agency:

After making his first Pro Bowl in 2014, thanks to 14.5 sacks, Barwin deserved some sort of raise. Philadelphia still ranked 31st in pass defense despite Barwin's pass-rushing prowess, so it's a bit scary to consider how poor the Eagles would have been without him.

Steps have been taken to upgrade the secondary behind Barwin, notably with the addition of former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell.

If the defensive backfield can cover a bit better and Barwin maintains his level of play, he could well build a reputation as one of the NFL's premier edge-rushers.

Newly acquired inside linebacker Kiko Alonso missed last season with an ACL tear; however, if Alonso is as dynamic as he was as a rookie in Buffalo, Philadelphia's defense ought to experience a marked improvement in 2015.

Securing Barwin eliminates any potential tension between him and the Eagles, so it's unlikely his production or effort will decline for at least the next couple of years.