Christian Barmore was one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen in the NFL last season, but you wouldn't know it looking at his sack count. In a combined 21 regular season and playoff games, he had only three quarterback takedowns despite also registering 55 other pressures.
Entering into 2026, the goal is therefore clear: Barmore wants to become a better finisher.
"There are a lot of athletic quarterbacks in the league. They're all fast, they have quick feet. They all have a little mobility. My goal is, every time I get there, to bend down and just have good patience and don't run past them. That's the goal," he explained following Wednesday's first joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I missed a lot of plays I wish I had back last year, but I'm focused on the future. My goal is not to do that again, not miss the plays I can make. Really every time I get back there, I just have to settle down and make the sacks."
Barmore ended his 2025 campaign not just falling short of his sack potential, but also with an uncharacteristically high missed tackle rate of 23.5%. And yet, the season as a whole was a success for him: fully recovered from the blood clots that had disrupted his 2024 campaign, he once again looked like the player the Patriots had given a four-year, $84 million contract extension.

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