The One Packers-Patriots Matchup That Could Impact Trade Deadline

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers entered the season with plenty of depth at defensive tackle. However, injuries have depleted the depth, and the last men standing have been stout but not superb.

On Sunday, the Packers will face the New England Patriots. One of the key matchups will include New England defensive tackle Christian Barmore vs. Green Bay right guard Laken Tomlinson. That matchup could factor in Green Bay’s decisions at Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Christian Barmore’s Production at Defensive Tackle

All of Green Bay’s defensive tackles have combined for 4.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits. Barmore by himself has 3.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits. The last three games, he has one sack against the Jets, one sack against the Bears and a half-sack against Miami.

A second-round pick in 2021, Barmore had a breakout third season with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for losses among 64 total tackles. He missed most of the 2024 season due to blood clots and had only two sacks in 2025. This season, he’s returned to form with 3.5 sacks.

According to Pro Football Focus, 91 interior defensive linemen have played at least 100 pass-rushing snaps. Barmore ranks 10th in pass-rush win rate, according to PFF. Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks are tied for 61st and rookie Chris McClellan is tied for 82nd.

There is one big tie between the Packers and Barmore. DeMarcus Covington was the Patriots’ defensive line coach during Barmore’s first three seasons and the defensive coordinator in 2024. Now, Covington is Green Bay’s outside linebackers coach, defensive run-game coordinator and assistant head coach.

“Every year he’s been getting better, growing on the field, off the field. I’m proud of the way he’s worked,” Covington said during Barmore’s big third season. “He’s been doing a good job, and it started this offseason with him working, rehabbing and doing a lot of things to get his body right, in the classroom and really taking those things and taking it to the grass.”

At this best, Barmore has shown he can be a three-down player. That’s why the Patriots gave him a four-year, $84 million contract in April 2024.

“He’s done a good job in being a complete player as far as early down, third down, run game, pass game, and being consistent,” Covington said. “And that’s the key thing that we try to do: We preach consistency and we preach on making sure we have good habits. So, when we go out there and play, he’s playing some good tape and just been so consistent for us.”

Laken Tomlinson at Right Guard

Following the offensive line’s Week 3 disaster against the Falcons, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst signed Laken Tomlinson off the Cowboys’ practice squad and Kevin Zeitler and Mehki Becton off the street.

So far, Tomlinson is the only one of those three veterans who’s seen action on offense. After three games in place of injured Aaron Banks at left guard, he moved to right guard – a position he hadn’t played in a game since 2016 – for last week’s game against Carolina. He probably will get the start there again against New England.

“Shoot, man, the coach asked me to play right guard and I said, ‘Let's do it,’” Tomlinson said this week.

Former Packers standout Josh Sitton famously said going from right guard to left guard was like wiping his (butt) with a different hand.

“Oh, man, that is a great way to put it. Shoot, that's perfect, actually,” Tomlinson said. “It could get a little awkward, but I feel like with more reps and keep repping, I feel like I'm just getting better and better every day. So, definitely, try riding a bicycle backwards and then doing it over and over again.”

Going from a Sunday game to a Thursday game last week, Tomlinson didn’t get any real practice snaps to get ready for the new position before the Carolina game. There were walk-through reps, though, and he went back to watch that game from 2016, when he was with the Lions and they were playing the Rams.

“I was like, you know, I did it then. I know I can do it now,” Tomlinson said.

“I look at the plays as kind of like a chess board, and as long as I can picture myself as a piece in the chess board, then that's how the plays come to me instantly. So, I can tell my body what to do in a matter of 6 seconds walking up the line of scrimmage.”

Tomlinson had a full practice week to get ready for the Patriots.

“Really good front, really good defensive front,” he said. “Those guys play hard, man. But the challenge is on us this week.”

Will Packers Add at Trade Deadline?

Green Bay’s running game is the worst in the NFL – and on pace to be the worst in NFL history. For the most part, there’s been no room for the running backs.

In theory, help on the line could help. However, the Packers drafted left tackle Jordan Morgan in the first round, gave left guard Aaron Banks a huge contract in free agency last year, re-signed center Sean Rhyan to a big contract in free agency this year, thought so highly of Tomlinson to have him flip to right guard instead of playing Zeitler or Becton, and drafted right tackle Anthony Belton in the second round.

If the Packers are overwhelmed by Barmore and Co., maybe Gutekunst will have to find a starter on the trade market even with all the resources that have been invested.

On the other hand, Barmore could be auditioning for the Packers. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Barmore is available and could be had for a fourth-round pick. The Packers could have three fourth-round picks – their own, Dallas’ from the Rashan Gary trade and a free-agent compensatory pick.

The contract would be challenging for the Packers to absorb but Barmore might be an X-factor. Imagine Barmore and Wyatt rushing up the middle and Micah Parsons and Lukas Van Ness coming off the edge.

Big decisions won’t be based on one game. But it could make all the difference if Gutekunst is on the fence with the trade deadline just two days away.

In our weekly combo of stories, here are three reasons why the Packers will lose to the Patriots: ⬇️https://t.co/inH6lXWjgw

And three reasons why they will win: ⬇️https://t.co/ma7Fx6onkn
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 8, 2026

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