It was evident that the New England Patriots’ defense missed Christian Barmore last season. In 2023, Barmore had a breakout season, recording 13 tackles for loss and six pass deflections, while also leading the team in sacks (8.5).
Barmore was expected to build on his dominance after the team signed him to a four-year, $84 million extension. However, it was announced he was diagnosed with blood clots in late July, sidelining him indefinitely.
Although he made a miraculous comeback in November, he would only appear in four games before being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. Without him, the Patriots' defense struggled, ranking last in sacks (28) and 23rd against the run (131.4).
Now, with Barmore healthy and back on the field, we can expect him to return to his 2023 form and make an immediate impact in Week 1.
Patriots Defense Will Heavily Rely on Christian Barmore in Week 1
If the Patriots are to win their Week 1 matchup against the Raiders, they need Barmore and the coveted signing, Milton Williams, to generate pressure inside. In his 2023 campaign, Barmore excelled in this area, receiving an 83.8 overall grade and an 84.9 pass rush grade, ranking 10th and 8th among interior players, per PFF.
Barmore has an opportunity to make a significant impact in this game, as the Raiders' offensive line ranked 26th in sacks allowed (50) last season. Although the Raiders have a decent line, led by Kolton Miller and Jordan Meredith, their right side is their weakness.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and D.J. Glaze are the Raiders' starters on the right side, and neither is a good pass-blocker. Powers-Johnson received a 68.3 pass block grade while Glaze received a 61.9. In the last two seasons, Barmore played most of his snaps at left end, and the Patriots must line him up there against the Raiders.
While the Raiders don’t have a great offense, they should be much improved with the hiring of head coach Pete Carroll and the additions of Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty. Carroll’s teams always had efficient offenses that leaned towards the run over the pass, and by drafting Jeanty, they’ll want to run the ball.
If the Patriots are to win this game, they’ll need Barmore to shut down the run as well. Barmore is a solid run defender, ranking 30th among interior players in 2023 with a 67.8 run defense grade, and should have a field day against the Raiders, who ranked dead-last in the run last year (79.8).
For the Patriots to pull off a win on Sunday, they’ll need their second-highest-paid player to dominate the Raiders’ line.