Conflicting reports emerge on Patriots DT Christian Barmore’s injury

The New England Patriots may have made it to the postseason after a one-year absence, but they didn’t do so with a ton of vigor or momentum. Not only did they lose to the Miami Dolphins and fall to the No. 6 seed in the conference, but they may have lost Christian Barmore due to injury.

Picked No. 38 overall from Alabama following a bizarre drop out of the first round, Barmore has been one of the best front seven players on the team this year. With 46 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite getting double-teamed frequently, the improvement from Week 1 to now has been astonishing.

Unfortunately, his standout rookie season may have come to an end after being carted off the field during the loss against Miami. Patriots fans desperate for clarity on how long he will be out might not find what they’re looking for, as coaches and reporters gave two different sides of the story.

Mike Reiss reported that Barmore should not be expected to suit up in the playoffs, even hinting that the injury will impact how he trains in the offseason. While Reiss’ update sounded very gloomy, Bill Belichick offered a more optimistic (or at least uncertain) take on the situation this morning.

“We just got back late last night,” Belichick said during an interview on “The Greg Hill Show.” “So we’ll see how things look this morning. I’d say we’re hopeful.” Perhaps his injury is not as career-altering as Reiss suggested?

Will Christian Barmore play in the postseason for the Patriots?

While Barmore has only started a handful of games, he has played over half of New England’s defensive snaps this season. With Henry Anderson already on IR, the defensive line depth will be stretched to breaking point in a playoff matchup against a Bills team that is looking more confident running the football.

Anderson’s injury means that Carl Davis will have to pick up an even greater defensive load. While he can eat up space as a run defender, Davis does not have the same explosion off the snap that makes the high-energy Barmore such a unique young defender. Matt Judon and the rest of the pass rush need to step up if he’s unable to go.

It’s a shame that such a brilliant rookie season may have come to a close in such an unsavory fashion. While we need to wait for more clarity on the Barmore injury, he set himself up for success in 2022 and beyond with a dynamic start to his pro career.

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