The Carolina Panthers have traded running back Kenjon Barner to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft choice in 2015.
Selected in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by Carolina, Barner played in eight games as a rookie. He rushed six times for seven yards, posted two receptions for seven yards and returned two kickoffs for 17 yards.
Barner entered this preseason first on the Panthers' depth chart at punt returner and kickoff returner and started at running back versus Buffalo in the absence DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. In two preseason games, he gained 26 yards on 15 carries and caught one pass for 14 yards in addition to returning two punts for no yards and one kickoff for 31 yards.
Versus Kansas City last week, running back Fozzy Whittaker emerged with a team-leading 71 yards and one touchdown on 13 attempts, while undrafted rookie running back Darrin Reaves produced a six-yard touchdown run in the preseason opener. The return game remains unsettled with Kealoha Pilares having also returned kickoffs and Philly Brown handling both kickoffs and punts.
In Philadelphia, Barner will be reunited with his college coach, Chip Kelly.
"He gets to go and play for a head coach that he knows very well and an offense that he's very comfortable with, and for us it's an opportunity to pick up an extra draft pick and also sends a message to the two young backs that they have an opportunity to become one of our guys," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said. "He was in a very good battle. Fozzy has done some real nice things, and Reaves has done some real nice things as well.
"What this did was create a win-win."
