Even coming out of a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers and dropping to 5-4 on the year, the New England Patriots are not necessarily in “seller” territory heading toward Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. That being said, one player has still been mentioned as a potential candidate to be moved over the past few weeks: defensive tackle Christian Barmore.
Whether or not a trade will materialize remains to be seen, but Sunday’s game did little to clear the smoke emanating from that particular fire. Barmore,
after all, played a season-low 26 of 61 defensive snaps for a playing time share of 39%. While the margin is not significant — he averaged 31 snaps and a 50% share over his first seven games — it, at the very least, creates more data points to fuel speculation over the next 24-plus hours.
The other top-level DTs, after all, did not see such a drastic change relative to their normal usage. Milton Williams had a slightly lower playing time share than his season average up to that point, while Cory Durden was on the field a bit more.
Does that mean a trade is imminent? No, it doesn’t.
Playing time fluctuates based on a variety of factors including opponent, game script and physical fitness. In Barmore’s case, he did have some positive contributions by registering a sack and a stop on a 3rd-and-1 run. Of course, that probably still won’t stop the rumor mill from turning until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Here is our full snap count report from the Patriots’ 45-27 loss.
Offense
Total snaps: 63 | Time on the field: 23:11 | * denotes starter
C Jared Wilson* (63; 100%), RG Matt Pryor* (63; 100%), QB Drake Maye* (51; 81%), RT Morgan Moses* (51; 81%), WR Kyle Williams* (49; 78%), LT Will Campbell* (45; 71%), WR Mack Hollins* (43; 68%), WR DeMario Douglas (43; 68%), RB Rhamondre Stevenson* (38; 60%), TE Eli Raridon (36; 57%), WR Efton Chism III (32; 51%), LG Walter Rouse (32; 51%), TE Hunter Henry (31; 49%), LG Ben Brown* (31; 49%), LT/TE Caleb Lomu* (22; 35%), RB Lan Larison (14; 22%), TE Tanner Arkin* (14; 22%), QB Tommy DeVito (12; 19%), RT Marcus Bryant (12; 19%), RB Corey Kiner (11; 17%)
The Patriots offense suffered even more injury losses against the Packers, with the most prominent being running back Rhamondre Stevenson departing in the fourth quarter — in what was effectively garbage time already — with a knee injury. With RB2 TreVeyon Henderson already out due to an illness, Corey Kiner and Lan Larison are next on the depth chart and likely to see increased opportunities should Stevenson show any signs of limitations heading into Week 10.
Injuries also hit the offensive line once again. Left guard Ben Brown hurt his knee late in the second quarter and was unable to continue, with Walter Rouse entering the game in his place. Early in fourth quarter, left tackle Will Campbell also exited with a knee issue, even though he could have reentered the contest, per himself.
Campbell’s departure also gave insight into the Patriots’ backup offensive line hierarchy with Marcus Bryant activated off of injured reserve. Caleb Lomu is the next man up at left tackle, and likely also on the right side; Bryant, meanwhile, is the No. 4 who only entered late when RT Morgan Moses was pulled alongside Drake Maye.
Speaking of players coming off of injured reserve, Mack Hollins started and played 68% of snaps in his first game back since Week 4. He was part of a four-receiver rotation that also heavily involved second-year man Kyle Williams, who played 78% as a de facto replacement for top perimeter option A.J. Brown. Williams was targeted two times, with one of those targets a dropped could-be touchdown and the other an interception.
At tight end, Hunter Henry played a limited role after participating in only one practice this week. Rookie Eli Raridon out-snapped him 36 to 31, with Tanner Arkin also playing 14 snaps.
Defense
Total snaps: 61 | Time on the field: 33:32 | * denotes starter
LB Robert Spillane* (61; 92%), LB Christian Elliss* (61; 92%), CB Christian Gonzalez* (61; 92%), S Kevin Byard III* (61; 92%), S Craig Woodson* (61; 92%), CB Marcus Jones* (51; 77%), DT Milton Williams* (42; 64%), ED Gabe Jacas (41; 62%), ED Elijah Ponder* (40; 61%), CB Carlton Davis III* (35; 53%), DT Cory Durden* (34; 52%), ED Dre’Mont Jones* (31; 47%), DT Christian Barmore (26; 39%), S Jaylen Reed (23; 35%), DT Leonard Taylor III (22; 33%), CB Karon Prunty (19; 29%), DT Joshua Farmer (18; 27%), DT DaQuan Jones (12; 18%), LB Erick Hunter (7; 11%), LB Darius Muasau (5; 8%), LB Namdi Obiazor (5; 8%), CB Channing Canada (5; 8%), S Mike Brown (5; 8%)
Even though he played the worst game of his four-year NFL career, Christian Gonzalez effectively went wire-to-wire alongside most of the other starting defensive backs against the Packers. The same was not true for his running mate, Carlton Davis, who exited due to a knee injury in the second quarter. Davis, who had only played five games this season, was replaced in the lineup by rookie Karon Prunty.
Elsewhere in the secondary, Jaylen Reed saw regular action yet again. With the Patriots continuing to embrace three-safety looks, the late-August trade pickup has now played double-digit snaps in back-to-back games — and the first time he has done so while not serving as an injury stand-in for one of the starters.
The game’s blowout nature also allowed the Patriots to give some live reps to their backups. Darius Muasau and Namdi Obiazor replaced Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss at linebacker down the stretch; Channing Canada came on for Christian Gonzalez; Mike Brown joined Reed in the secondary to relieve Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson.
Special teams
Total snaps: 33 | Time on the field: 3:17
LB Namdi Obiazor (30; 91%), S/PP Mike Brown (30; 91%), LB Darius Muasau (29; 88%), CB Karon Prunty (27; 82%), TE Cameron Latu (25; 76%), S Jaylen Reed (24; 73%), CB Channing Canada (23; 70%), LB Erick Hunter (22; 67%), RB Lan Larison (20; 61%), TE Tanner Arkin (18; 55%), ED Elijah Ponder (13; 39%), RB/KR Corey Kiner (9; 27%), DT Milton Williams (8; 24%), DT DaQuan Jones (8; 24%), K Andy Borregales (8; 24%), P/H Mitch Wishnowsky (8; 24%), LS Julian Ashby (8; 24%), DT Joshua Farmer (7; 21%), S Craig Woodson (5; 15%), S Brenden Schooler (4; 12%), WR Efton Chism III (3; 9%), OT Caleb Lomu (3; 9%), OT Marcus Bryant (3; 9%), OL Jared Wilson (3; 9%), OL Matt Pryor (3; 9%), OL Walter Rouse (3; 9%), DT Leonard Taylor III (3; 9%), CB/PR Marcus Jones (3; 9%), OL Ben Brown (2; 6%), TE Eli Raridon (1; 3%), OT Will Campbell (1; 3%), ED Gabe Jacas (1; 3%)
The Patriots lost one of their core special teamers, Brenden Schooler, to a hamstring injury after only four snaps. They still had a fairly high number of players appearing on the core-four return and coverage teams: nine players — all of the top 10 in snaps with the exception of Jaylen Reed — saw action at least once on kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt return and punt coverage.
Despite the continuity in that area, the team made some changes in the game’s third phase. Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, for example, was pulled from the kickoff coverage team after playing two snaps last week against Miami and contributing to a 43-yard kickoff return by rushing too far upfield.
Did not play
N/A
With the game ending in a blowout, the Patriots decided to empty the bench. This also meant that backup quarterback Tommy DeVito saw action for only the second time this year. He played 12 snaps to double his season total.
Inactive
QB3 Behren Morton, RB TreVeyon Henderson, WR A.J. Brown, OT Dametrious Crownover, CB Charles Woods
The Patriots already ruled out TreVeyon Henderson (illness) and A.J. Brown heading into the game, and on Sunday added No. 4 cornerback Charles Woods to the mix as well: Woods was announced as questionable to play with a hamstring injury less than an hour before inactives were due. He ultimately was ruled out alongside Henderson, Brown and a pair of healthy scratches.
