New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel wants to see a bit more out of defensive tackle Christian Barmore heading into the 2026 season. He issued a bit of a challenge to Barmore as the team enters its final day of minicamp.
Barmore had a down year last year, as he continued to battle back from health issues. All told, the Alabama product recorded combined tackles and two sacks in 17 games. While those are respectable numbers, they are certainly a bit down from the years when he was a disruptive pass-rusher.
It seems like the coach recognizes that, and told reporters what he expects from his defensive tackle heading into the latter’s fifth season, per Sleeper’s Carlos Lopez.
“A very disruptive player. A player that cares a lot. He’s a player we have to manage… He’s able to get and understand what to do without practicing every single day. Just want to see him finish, so does he, but those plays that he had in the backfield around the quarterback. Instead of being disruptive, being able to finish those because he did that a lot. Tried to talk to him about not being frustrated. That those plays impact the game… I think his attitude’s been great. I enjoy working with him, I do.“
Barmore Had Long Journey For Patriots
There was a time when Barmore was thought of as one of the best pass-rushers in the league. The 2023 season was his best. He played in all 17 games and recorded 64 combined tackles and 8.5 sacks. The playmaker also forced a fumble as well. This was a season where he was able to play to his full potential. The season itself earned him a lucrative four-year contract extension in the early part of 2024.
However, things took a bit of a turn, and not because of anything on the field. Barmore suffered a health scare in July 2024 when he was diagnosed with DVT in his leg. He spent four months on the reserve\non-football illness list before coming back to playing in November 2024. He was able to play in four games, but suffered a setback in December 2024 and ended his 2024 season.
2025 was about getting back into the swing of things, and he was medically cleared in May 2025. The blood clots did come up as a talking point once again but not in the way you think. He was monitored in Denver due to blood clots and the high altitude. With that being said, he overcame high altitude and played the entire game.
Vrabel Is Challenging Patriots Star
Now, it sounds like Vrabel wants Barmore to get back to what he once was. Almost 2 years removed from his official diagnosis, this may not be as unrealistic an expectation as one may think. At his best, Barmore was a dominant defensive player who can immediately collapse pockets and rush the passer. If you didn’t get to the quarterback, he was able to at least disrupt the timing of the signal-caller
Even if the Patriots were able to get a fraction of a healthy Barmore, that would certainly be positive. The Patriots undoubtedly need additional help in terms of rushing the passer, and Barmore, and his ability to stay healthy, will be extremely important.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the 2026 season plays out. This is an opportunity for him to have a bounce-back here and be able to show that he can be the player he once was. He is still relatively young, it is entering the prime of his career. Now would be the perfect opportunity for him to find his footing once again and become an integral part of the defensive line.
Mike Vrabel Says Patriots Star’s on Verge of Something Bigger