Christian Barmore of the New England Patriots
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Christian Barmore of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore may be a highly-valued player for the team, but he’s not accumulating much value around the league. Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi reported this on Tuesday afternoon.
The Patriots have a tricky situation with Barmore. He is due $10 million on March 13. This is the day his salary is due in full for the 2026 season. This ultimately forces the Patriots’ hand as they decide whether or not they want to keep him.
The defensive tackle had 15 total tackles and two sacks in 17 games this season. His performance, as well as various health and off-the-field issues, have complicated his NFL future. Girardi made a bold statement about the defensive tackle to CLNS Media on Tuesday afternoon.
“His value around the league, Will is not high…You’re almost just better off saying, screw it, let’s run it back, let’s keep our fingers crossed that the light finally goes on.”
Health Issues Have Plagued Patriots’ Star
Health issues have been a major concern for Barmore over the past couple of seasons. Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots in late July 2024. He was placed on the non-football illness list during training camp. He was on the mend for a bit, and was finally cleared for a week 11 game against the Los Angeles Rams. With that being said, his symptoms returned. He played in just four games and returned to the reserve/NFI list for the remainder of the season.
Barmore’s condition improved by spring 2025. He was fully cleared for all football activities at the time. He was good to go by May, as he was a full participant involuntary OTA’s. This translated into positive momentum for the regular season. He played in every game for the team, recording 58 quarterback pressures on the year.
The Patriots certainly have a decision to make over the next couple of days. The defensive tackle has been a key piece of the defensive line during his Patriots career. He has recorded 165 combined tackles, 15.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 65 games played. The Patriots have solid defensive tackle play available, as Milton Williams blossomed in his first season with the Patriots. Barmore just adds that extra production
Barmore Has Been Mainstay With Patriots
He has been a mainstay for the organization. A healthy Barmore was one of the most impactful defensive tackles in the league. However, he has not been the same since his blood clot diagnosis. He is 26 years old and entering the prime of his career. The defensive tackle could have a lot more solid football left in him.
However, the price point is the sticking point. It may be a risk for the organization to take a chance on him and assume that his health will get back to normal. His perception around the league could force him to remain on the Patriots’ roster. It’s one of those situations where he would not be a bad player to have on the roster. It will be extremely interesting to see what the Patriots do here and how they handle the situation. There are a lot of factors at play here. This isn’t the first difficult decision the team is going to have to make during this timeframe, and it probably won’t be the last.