Patriots Lose Gonzalez and Barmore Before Buffalo Test

The Patriots were already walking into a difficult assignment in Buffalo. Now they will do it without cornerback Christian Gonzalez and defensive tackle Christian Barmore.

New England ruled out both defenders Friday because of shoulder injuries. Neither practiced this week. Gonzalez has started every game he has played since entering the NFL, while Barmore has a sack through three games this season.

Two losses at the worst possible spots

Gonzalez is the player New England trusts with the hardest coverage job. Taking him away changes how aggressive the secondary can be against Josh Allen and forces the Patriots to find help for expected replacement Charles Woods.

Barmore’s absence creates a different problem. Buffalo is averaging six yards per rushing attempt behind James Cook, so New England cannot afford to lose control of the middle while devoting extra attention to Allen and the passing game.

Why it matters to fans

The Patriots are 1–2 and coming off a 35–6 loss to Jacksonville. Sunday was already going to test whether that performance was a bad week or a sign of something deeper. Facing a 3–0 division rival without two defensive building blocks makes the answer harder to find.

Kris’s Take

This is the kind of injury report that can wreck a defensive plan before kickoff. New England can survive one major absence by changing coverages or rotating the front. Losing Gonzalez and Barmore at the same time attacks both solutions. The Patriots need Drake Maye and the offense to protect the defense with long drives, because asking this depleted unit to chase Allen all afternoon is a losing formula.

Sources

The Patriots’ official Week 4 injury report, which listed Gonzalez and Barmore with shoulder injuries and no practice participation; confirmation that both players are out from Reuters/Field Level Media, published October 2, 2026.

No photo is included because I could not verify a current, rights-cleared image of Gonzalez or Barmore in a Patriots uniform for this report.