Sigh.....the fact I even have to go through this exercise is quite troubling.
Going into the season, NFL execs ranked the top 10 DT's in the NFL. 21 DT's received votes. Where do you think Barmore ranked in those votes? He didn't.
But wait, those execs doesn't know what they are talking about! PFF will save the day because he was amazing because the Pats had a top ranked defense! Barmore doesn't even rank in their top 20 DT's after the 2025 season.
Thomas Valentine breaks down the 20 highest-graded interior defenders from the 2025 NFL season, starting with the Steelers' Cameron Heyward.
www.pff.com
That's impossible! Barmore gets double teamed!!!! Reality: He was only double teamed 2% more in 2025 than during his career year in 2023 when he had absolutely no help around him. So the 2% jump in double team % and a $100M DT next to him along with the veteran Landry and better secondary caused his production to plummet? Lol. Some of you guys have no idea what you are talking about.
Our win rate metics stack the NFL's best run-blocking, run-stopping, pass-protecting and pass-rushing players and teams.
www.espn.com
Our win rate metrics stack the NFL's best teams and players in run blocking, run stopping, pass protection and pass rushing.
www.espn.com
Now let's see what what the media thought of Barmore after the season:
"
But his play didn't live up to the potential that the 26-year-old possesses"
"Playing alongside Milton Williams,
he didn't fill the "robin"-type role that people expected for him. He only had two sacks, coming nearly two years after a hefty contract extension (four years, up to $92 million) he signed in 2024. That also doesn't take into the account the blood clots he was diagnosed with that forced him to the sideline for most of that season."
INDIANAPOLIS — If you take the original statements by the New England Patriots after the two legal situations surrounding Stefon Diggs and Christian Barmore at
www.si.com
"
Since then, however, it's been all downhill for Barmore, and ESPN thinks he may be sent packing by the Patriots.
"The Patriots would definitely need to find an on-field replacement for Barmore's interior pass-rushing skills. Last season, he had 11 quarterback hits and two sacks. However, Barmore is facing an assault and battery charge, and New England might want to make a change and focus more on improving on the edge."
"As ESPN noted, Barmore had a mediocre season in 2025, recording only two sacks and 11 quarterback hits."
The New England Patriots will begin Phase II of their rebuild under Mike Vrabel, and they still have a lot of work to do. While they reached the Super Bowl, the
musketfire.com
"Then there’s Barmore. Even at 26,
there are reasons to believe his best football has been played, too.
Barmore has a history of knee injuries recently overshadowed by his
battle with blood clots. He failed to tally a single pressure in the Super Bowl. He had two sacks in the regular season,
when his run defense was often problematic. He genreated several quick pressures
but also failed to record as much as quarterback hit in seven of eight games during one midseason stretch; a
dry spell Wolf noted this week in an answer about whether Barmore is the type of player in whom the Patriots should be investing.
The Patriots might soon release two of their best players. Here’s why.
www.bostonherald.com
Mike Reiss named 3 players the Pats will have to make a decision on early this offseason. If Barmore was that good, Reiss wouldn't even mention him - even with the bogus assault charge. Many here were irate with the mention of Diggs being cut....he got cut. Some also get triggered if you mentioned anything negative about Owenu - he took a pay cut. Barmore was the lone survivor:
"For example, receiver
Stefon Diggs' salary cap charge increases from $9.5 million to $26.5 million, and his base salary spikes from $2.9 million to $20.6 million.
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore is due $10 million guaranteed if he's on the roster on the third day of the league year. Right guard
Mike Onwenu's base salary bumps to $16 million and his cap charge to $25 million, and he has no remaining guaranteed money on his deal.
Vrabel addressing Barmore's frustrations not being able to get to the QB:
Oh yeah, Barmore also got benched by Vrabel for a quarter to "protect the team".
"I just had to make a decision.
My job is to protect the team,"
Vrabel said of benching Barmore. "
So when there are actions that I don’t feel like are commensurate with what we want to do here, I gotta make a decision. And we move on."
Christian Barmore was benched for the first quarter of the Patriots' win over the Browns. Here's what led Mike Vrabel to his decision.
www.usatoday.com
In a month we'll see where he ranks among NFL execs going into the 2026 season. In the meantime...do better guys.
