What Patriots Reportedly Are ‘Bracing For’ With Christian Barmore

The Patriots might be forced to play the entire 2024 season without one of their best players.

Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots in late July, which forced him off the football field indefinitely. Barmore has been occasionally spotted at One Patriot Place since the diagnosis, but head coach Jerod Mayo and others have been unwilling to put a timeline on the defensive tackle's return.

It's a sensitive issue, and one that New England will handle with abundant care.

"The Patriots are bracing for the possibility that defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who's on Reserve/Non-Football Injury list while being treated for blood clots, won't play this season," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday. "New England doesn't want to rush his recovery by any stretch. If he makes it back, great. But the team won't push it. He's a long-term asset."

The Patriots cemented Barmore as a piece of their future in late April when they signed the 25-year-old to a four-year deal worth up to $92 million. It was a deserved payday for the Alabama product, who significantly improved with each passing season after New England drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft.

With Barmore sidelined, the Patriots are expected to lean on Davon Godchaux and Jeremiah Pharms Jr. in the interior of their defensive line.