It’s Time: Patriots Should Consider Christian Barmore Contract Extension
As the “first wave” of NFL free agency completes it crash against the Massachusetts shores, the New England Patriots will now turn their attention to the second phase of roster building for the upcoming season.
In total, the Pats have retained the services of 10 players from their 2023 roster, while signing seven external free agents to join them. New England also placed the transition tag on safety Kyle Dugger, with the expectation of keeping the 2020 second-round draft selection (No. 37 overall) with the team on a longer-term deal.
With plenty of moves still to be made, the question of which step the Patriots make next is still a matter of conjecture. Given their approximately $55 million in remaining available cap space, per Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan, it may be the perfect time to consider extending the contract of defensive tackle — and potential 2025 free agent — Christian Barmore.
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Barmore, the Patriots second-round pick (No. 38 overall) in 2021 had a standout performance last season, setting career-highs in nearly every statistical category. The 6-5, 310-pound defender led the Patriots with 8.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and 13 tackles for loss. He also logged 64 total tackles, forced a fumble, and broke up six passes in 17 games — enjoying both good health and notable productivity on the field for the first time in his career.
Having turned in a solid rookie season, Barmore entered his second year with lofty expectations. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him from seeing the field for seven games in 2022 — inevitably leading to a statistical dip. He finished the campaign having logged 23, 2.5 sacks and only one pass-break-up.
Still, Barmore’s ability to push the pocket and take a stand against the run keeps him among the team’s premier defenders. His abilities took center stage on Christmas Eve, when he earned three sacks and a forced fumble en route to a Week 16 Patriots victory over the Denver Broncos. Overall, Barmore’s stellar showing helped the Pats defense rank first in yards per carry (3.3) and fourth in total run defense (93.2 rush yards per game) in an otherwise forgettable 4-13 season.
At his best, Barmore plays with good leverage, and is strong enough to take on double-teams. He locates the ball quickly, chases with good effort and has excellent range for his size. The 23-year-old has also demonstrated quick hands, which has made him effective in both stuffing the run, and challenging the passer. Though he often aligns with the starters on New England’s 4-3 defensive sets, Barmore may be the team’s top choice to start as a left-side defender in their typical 3-4 front.
As the Pats prepare to start the season, both Barmore and linebacker Matthew Judon have the chance to recreate some of their productivity from 2021 — potentially adding to his value. Since first coming together, the pair have become quite the pass rush tandem, with at least one of them (if not both) finding their way into their opponents’ backfield more often than not.
New England’s defensive duo has been most effective in obvious passing situations. With Barmore drawing the attention of opposing blockers along the offensive line, Judon is often left one-on-one on the edge. This has freed the linebacker to pursue the quarterback. Judon is hopeful to be ready for the start of training camp after missing most of last season due to a torn biceps.
In 2024, Barmore will earn a base salary of $1.82 million while carrying a cap hit of $2.71 million and a dead cap value of $889,499. Though his 2025 market value would likely fall short of the eye-opening four-year, $110 million base value deal (of which $84.5 is guaranteed) recently given to defensive tackle Christian Wilkins by the Las Vegas Raiders, the Pats may be wise not to tempt fate. Should he hit the open market, the Pats may soon find the prolific defensive tackle quickly priced out of their range.
Accordingly, there is no time like the present for New England to retain Barmore’s services, wisely setting him as their defensive cornerstone for many seasons to come.
The timing is right. The Patriots have the money.
New England’s next offseason “step” appears to be clear.
