Patriots' defense loses Gonzalez, Barmore against high-octane Bills
Mike ReissOct 2, 2026, 01:47 PM ET
- Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots will be without starting cornerback Christian Gonzalez due to a shoulder injury when they visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, coach Mike Vrabel said.
Gonzalez did not practice all week. He made a physical tackle in the first quarter of last Sunday's blowout loss to the Jaguars but stayed in the game after that play.
In addition, defensive tackle Christian Barmore won't play due to a shoulder injury, per Vrabel.
"That's what the situation is, there's nothing we can do about it," Vrabel said after Friday's practice. "We can get the guys that will be in there ready."
Vrabel said slot corner Marcus Jones could be tapped to play more on the outside to help fill Gonzalez's void, while third-year player Charles Woods also is anticipated to play alongside starter Carlton Davis III.
Vrabel also mentioned rookie Karon Prunty, a fifth-round pick from Wake Forest, as someone who could be called upon to step in as a depth option in addition to his special-teams duties.
The Patriots, who won the AFC East last season, are 1-2 and risk falling further behind the 3-0 Bills in the standings with a loss. Through three games, Buffalo is fourth in the league in total offense.
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