Patriots' Christian Barmore diagnosed with blood clots

A former second-round pick out of Alabama, Barmore had a slow start to his NFL career. In his rookie season, Barmore earned a good amount of playing time as a rotation sub. He only started two games, but he played nearly as much as the starters at the position. He functioned mainly as a run-stopper with 46 tackles on the season. The following year, his role increased slightly, as he earned three starts, but he was limited to only 10 games due to a knee injury.

Last year, fully healthy, Barmore broke out in a big way. He only started six games, but he played more defensive snaps than any other lineman. With that time, Barmore recorded career highs in sacks (8.5), total tackles (64), tackles for loss (13), quarterback hits (16), pass deflections (6), and forced fumbles (1). Analytics reflected his breakout season, as well, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the eighth-best interior defender in the NFL, lauding his pass-rushing abilities which they graded at the NFL’s seventh-best at the position.

New England rewarded Barmore’s impressive outing by helping him to avoid a contract year, signing the lineman to a four-year extension worth up to $92M. The Patriots appreciated his contributions so much that they ensured Barmore would anchor their defensive line for the years to come, keeping him under contract through the 2028 season.