Barmore has been out since late July after being diagnosed with blood clots.
Earlier this month, Jerod Mayo claimed that defensive tackle Christian Barmore would be “getting close” to making a comeback. On Wednesday, the New England Patriots’ head coach put a tentative timeline on Barmore’s potential return from his blood clots diagnosis.
“There is a chance that he would be able to practice this week or next week,” Mayo said during a press conference. “There is a chance that we’ll get him back soon.”
A key member of the Patriots defense and one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen in football, Barmore has been unable to participate in practice since July. Following his blood clots diagnosis during the early portions of training camp, he was placed on the non-football injury list and remains there to this day.
The Patriots’ second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Barmore steadily developed into one of the best players on the team’s roster and a franchise cornerstone. The organization recognized him as such when it signed him to a four-year, $84 million just three months before his medical scare.
Despite his diagnosis, however, the 25-year-old has made regular appearances at Gillette Stadium during his recovery — a sign that he would eventually be in a position to return at some point this season. Under NFL rules, he is eligible to come off the NFI list at any point.
“He’s a positive force and a light for those guys when he’s around. A guy who has done some great things in this league, and will continue to do great things in this league when he’s back,” outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins told reporters back in September.
“He’s a guy that everybody kind of gravitates toward. Outside ‘backers, D-line, everybody on the team really likes that guy because of his personality, because he’s got a gravitational pull to him.”
Even from the sidelines, Barmore is trying his best to positively impact the organization. Given Mayo’s statements on Wednesday, it appears he will soon be in a position to do the same on the field again as well.