What was already an A-/B+ type of weekend for Eliot Wolf and the Patriots turned into an A/A+ one on Monday morning.

Adam Schefter reported that the Pats and Christian Barmore agreed to an extension worth up to $92 million, with Jeremy Fowler confirming the big defensive tackle would be making $41.8 million guaranteed.

This is obviously a massive (literally and figuratively) deal for both sides. It is the largest contract the franchise has ever signed for any player other than Tom Brady. Barmore has 133 total tackles (59 assisted) and 12.5 sacks in his young Patriots career.

Last season was the best of Barmore’s career, where he racked up 8.5 sacks and 64 tackles, showing his true potential to be a dominant player for the first time since being drafted in 2021 from Alabama. While the record was horrendous, the defense was a light in a whole lot of darkness in 2023 and Barmore was a big reason why.

Not only is this deal important on the field, but it’s just more proof that this regime is treating players much, much differently than Bill Belichick did. The idea that you can get paid and not have to go through mind numbing, incentive-laced contracts to earn your next big pay day following the rookie deal is very important when negotiating with other players in the future.

In an offseason where the Patriots have focused on culture and rewarding home grown players, this is by far the most significant thing the team has done to this point, even more so than drafting the new franchise QB this past weekend.

If Barmore is able to continue ascending the way it appears he is, this is a grand slam on a weekend that was already full of doubles, triples and dingers for Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo.