The one bright spot of the New England Patriots this past season was their defense, so they should probably work toward ensuring they keep some of their top defensive players.

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots are gearing up to lock up at least one of them, as Reiss says that they are engaged in contract extension discussions with defensive lineman Christian Barmore. Reiss adds that New England is “motivated” to get something done.

Barmore is coming off of a breakout 2023 campaign in which he played every game and racked up 64 tackles, 8.5 sacks, a forced fumble and six passes defended.

The 24-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was selected by the Pats in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

He played in 16 games during his rookie season, logging 46 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The following year, Barmore was limited to just 10 contests due to injuries, registering 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

The Patriots finished seventh in the league in yards allowed this past season in spite of the fact that they finished 4-13, their worst mark since 1992.

It will certainly be interesting to see how New England’s defense manages now that Bill Belichick is no longer with the franchise, as Belichick was known for organizing great defenses.

Of course, Jerod Mayo has now taken over as Pats head coach, and given that he was a linebacker and also served as the team’s linebackers coach, he should have a great handle on how to oversee the defense.

Regardless, we’ll see if the Patriots are able to reach a new deal with Barmore.

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