It was announced by the New Jersey Generals that they have claimed quarterback, Eric Barriere off waivers. This occurred after quarterback DeAndre Johnson suffered what looked to be a serious injury to his head against the Michigan Panthers. Barriere was formerly with the Panthers as well before being released following week seven. Here is a look back on who Eric Barriere is and why this pickup is big for the New Jersey Generals.
Eric Barriere Former Teams
Former Eastern Washington Eric Barriere QB (3) – Bridget Mayfield/Eastern Washington University Athletics
Eric Barriere attended college at Eastern Washington University. Barriere played for four seasons and put up big yards following one year of being a redshirted freshman in 2016. His senior year, which was in 2021, was by far his best season. That year, Barriere completed 361 passes out of 552 attempts, according to ESPN. While a 65.4 completion percentage does not sound the best, it was not a bad year. He only threw eight interceptions, compared to 46 touchdowns.
Barriere also passed for a total of 5,070 yards, his longest being for 86 yards. He averaged 9.2 yards per pass as well. He did not go to one of the top colleges, which impacted why he was never drafted into the NFL. Following his time in college, Barriere was invited to join the Denver Broncos’ camp but was never offered a contract. The 2021 regular season was the final time that Barriere played, and joining the USFL was a smart decision for him.
Barriere was formerly with the Michigan Panthers; however, he never got a chance with the team. This does mean that he has not had any playing time this season to truly discuss. The Panthers had multiple quarterbacks ahead of Barriere, and it was the best move for the team to release him. It could also benefit Barriere’s career that he moves on to the Generals.
Former EWU QB Eric Barriere – Eastern Washington University Athletics
Eric Barriere’s Impact on Generals
The New Jersey Generals have struggled on offense throughout the 2023 season. They went from one of the best teams in 2022 to a bottom team in 2023. A big reason for that is the quarterback position and an issue with injuries. Quarterback DeAndre Johnson sustained a bad head injury during week seven, resulting in Kyle Lauletta finishing the game. The Generals were rotating quarterbacks already, but without Johnson and only having two wins, the team will have a lot to figure out.
Aside from Johnson and Barriere, the two Generals quarterbacks are Lauletta and Dakota Prukop. Lauletta has played in three games this season, starting in two of them. He has completed 36 passes out of 58 attempts, according to the USFL. He has a total of 400 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Prukop has played in three games this season as well, only starting in one. He completed just 17 games out of 25 attempts for 184 total yards. He has passed for one touchdown and no interceptions.
There has been a clear struggle on offense for the Generals, and Eric Barriere may be able to help. New Jersey could have a great run game, but opposing defenses currently expect New Jersey to run the ball. This makes it much harder for the Gernerals to get anything going. Barriere brings something unexpected. Opposing defenses could potentially have no idea how to defend him. This can completely open up the New Jersey Generals’ offense. When Johnson is on the field, there is a spark, but with no known information on when he will be back, the Generals need to find that spark somewhere else.
The Generals are currently 2-5, but not completely out of playoffs just yet. The close USFL North is keeping New Jersey’s chances alive. The Philadelphia Stars are in first with a 4-3 record, and the Michigan Panthers are in second with a 3-4 record. There are three more games left of the regular season. Anything can happen which means there is a chance that Generals can make it to the postseason. While Eric Barriere will be the emergency quarterback this week, he can potentially give the offense the push they need.
