Patriots Discussing Extension With Another Core Piece

The New England Patriots have done a good job of re-signing key players from last year’s team as they start a new era of football with head coach Jerod Mayo. 

New England has re-signed offensive line Mike Onwenu, linebacker Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche, and Kendrick Bourne this offseason. The Patriots entered free agency with a lot of cap space but didn’t want to completely overhaul their roster.

At the owners’ meetings on Monday, Mayo spoke with the media about many things, including the idea of extending one of their young defensive linemen. The first-year head coach said they have had extension talks with former second-round pick Christian Barmore, per Brian Hines.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman had his best season as a pro last season, which is a good sign heading into this season. 

The 24-year-old defensive lineman only started in six out of 17 games but had 64 combined tackles, 16 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, six pass deflections, and a forced fumble. He also played a career-high 66 percent of defensive snaps – the highest since his rookie season (55%, 2021).

Heading into the 2024 season, Barmore projects to be the Patriots’ starting defensive tackle, as he’ll play next to Devon Godchaux, Matthew Judon, and Keion White. 

With New England potentially taking a rookie quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft, they will need their defense to make plays and keep opposing offenses out of the end zone. It won’t be an easy feat, especially with the division that they play in. However, the Pats have a potential star at defensive tackle in Barmore, who is turning into a game-changer.

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