FOXBORO, Mass. — Christian Barmore didn’t participate in Tuesday’s joint practice, but New England Patriots teammates still felt his presence.
The star defensive tackle was on the field to watch the joint session between New England and the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the first public appearance for Barmore — who was diagnosed with blood clots last month and could miss the entire 2024 NFL season — and the first time many teammates had seen him since the diagnosis.
Christian Barmore Attends Patriots-Eagles Joint Practice
Nose tackle Davon Godchaux was asked about Barmore’s appearance while speaking with reporters after practice.
“(It was) great, man. Great,” Godchaux said. “He’s in great spirits. Seeing my teammate, my brother, it’s great seeing him out there, but the most important thing is he’s in great spirits. I know it’s tough (for him). I tore my ACL senior year of high school, and I was out for the rest of the season.
“I’m not saying he’s out for the rest of the season, but I know the feeling of being out. It can be dark days, so just seeing him smile.”
Godchaux hopes Barmore doesn’t remain a stranger during his recovery.
“I told him, ‘Come around more, man. We miss you,'” Godchaux said. “So, it was just great seeing him at practice.”
"He's in great spirits… I told him, 'come around more, we miss you.'"
Davon Godchaux gave some words of encouragement for Christian Barmore after he made an appearance at training camp pic.twitter.com/i60OKsrbtK
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 13, 2024
The Patriots still haven’t provided a timetable for Barmore’s return. And we still don’t know what (if any) treatments Barmore is undergoing, and whether he can engage in any physical training.
Still, the last time a Patriots player was diagnosed with blood clots was in 2019, when center David Andrews missed the entire campaign after blood clots were found in his lungs. So, an extended absence for Barmore is a real possibility.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, there aren’t any in-house players who can replace his production.
How Are the Patriots Replacing Barmore?
The top candidates are Armon Watts, Mike Purcell, Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Trysten Hill, and Daniel Ekuale. All five players bring something to the table, but none of them are Barmore.
Watts, signed during the offseason, has the most experience but hasn’t been great during camp. Purcell was signed last week and looks like a roster longshot. Pharms, Hill, and Ekuale all have real pass-rushing upside but struggle against double teams and the run.
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“Obviously, Christian is a big part of our defense,” defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington said on Monday. “And, you know, unfortunately, that happened. We are — our thoughts and prayers are with him — and just like any other injury we have in football, the next-man-up mentality is good for that room.
“I would say we have the depth and the competition in that room to fill that void. Really, it’s just up to them to continue to prove that on the field with their consistent play. And who can help us out, because we need that just like last year. We had injuries that happened, and to our guy’s credit, we had good depth at each position.”
Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington was asked about trying to fill the void of Christian Barmore.
Covington mentioned Jeremiah Pharms Jr. being one of those guys taking advantage of every opportunity. pic.twitter.com/KSaO96VJRo
— Tamara Brown (@Imtamarabrown) August 12, 2024
The Patriots could get by with Godchaux at the nose, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Keion White on the ends, and rotating depth pieces at tackle. But the defensive line also could be a house of cards, with one more injury causing the group to collapse.
The good news is that Covington has proven to be an excellent coach of defensive linemen. Still, he has his work cut out for him.