Patriots T Will Campbell Played Through Torn Knee Ligament During Playoffs
Poor showings from Patriots left tackle Will Campbell were a common theme of the team’s run to the Super Bowl. New England’s left tackle was operating at far from full health during that stretch. 
During Campbell’s first remarks after New England’s Super Bowl loss, he said (via MassLive’s Mark Daniels) he suffered a torn ligament in his knee during the regular season. Campbell had not fully recovered by the time the playoffs began, and the ailment affected him through all four of the team’s postseason games.
Campbell noted the injury was not an excuse for his poor play, but it does at least partially explain his struggles. The fourth overall pick in last April’s draft was unable to consistently hold up in pass protection during the Patriots’ journey to Super Bowl LX. New England’s offensive line – which had Campbell as well as fellow rookie Jared Wilson as a starter at left guard – was a major talking point leading up to the game. Seattle’s defense was highly successful in pressuring quarterback Drake Maye, something which led to the Seahawks’ victory. Campbell in particular endured a rough outing in the title game.
“Will is 22 years old,” head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network) when speaking to the media on Tuesday. ” He’s our left tackle. He’ll get better. He’ll get stronger… there’s plays he’d like to have back. We’re not moving Will to guard, center, right end or anything else.”
Leading up to the draft, Campbell’s arm length was a source of concern with respect to his ability to remain a left tackle at the NFL level. The LSU product operated on the blindside throughout his rookie season, one which was interrupted by an MCL sprain. Campbell returned to left tackle duties upon return, and based on Vrabel’s comments he will again be counted on to serve as an anchor of New England’s offensive line moving forward. A return to full health will be the priority in this case, and Campbell’s ability to improve in Year 2 will be key in determining the Patriots’ success next season.
Patriots Activate DT Milton Williams, T Will Campbell From IR
The playoffs are locked up, and the Patriots’ final game of the season is at home against a depleted Dolphins team. As they attempt to secure their highest win total since 2016 and a chance at the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC side of the playoff bracket, they will bring in some reinforcements. New England announced today that it has activated defensive tackle Milton Williams and left tackle Will Campbell from injured reserve. 
Williams suffered the high ankle sprain that landed him on IR back in Week 11 but only had his 21-day practice window opened last week. The former Eagle’s debut season in New England was off to a hot start as he was tracking for potential career-highs in sacks, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits.
When he was lost to injury, Williams wasn’t the only defender to suffer from the loss; fellow interior defender Christian Barmore saw far more double teams with Williams not there to worry about. Williams’ return to the lineup should make big differences to the effectiveness of the Pats’ defensive line just in time for the playoffs.
Campbell, the team’s rookie No. 4 overall pick this year, had arguably been living up to his draft stock as the 2025 draft class’s best offensive tackle this year. Manning the starting job on the blindside in New England, Campbell’s tape from his 12 starts this year grade him out as the league’s 33rd-best tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He was placed on IR after suffering a knee injury in Week 12, but after returning to practice this week and fully participating in three sessions, he’s proven he’s ready to return to the starting lineup.
The Patriots already had one open roster spot, so they just needed to waive defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. in order to make room for the two returning starters. The team also announced that center Brenden Jaimes and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III will serve as standard gameday practice squad elevations for the team’s regular season finale.
Patriots OT Will Campbell Expected To Return To Practice
The Patriots are starting to get healthy at the perfect time. Following last week’s news that Milton Williams returned to practice, the Patriots are also expected to welcome back OT Will Campbell to the practice field this week, Mike Vrabel told reporters (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss).
[RELATED: Patriots To Open DT Milton Williams’ IR-Return Window]
Campbell landed on injured reserve in late November after spraining his MCL in a Week 12 win over the Bengals. It seems the rookie left tackle may only require a minimum stay on injured reserve, as this is the first week he can be activated. As the Patriots prepare for the playoffs, there’s a good chance the team will look for Campbell to knock off some rust in Week 18.
The Patriots used the fourth-overall pick in this year’s draft on the LSU product. While there were some questions about Campbell’s ability to succeed at offensive tackle in the NFL, the lineman did plenty to quiet the critics through the first chunk of his rookie campaign. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Campbell 34th among 86 qualifying offensive tackles, including a top-20 positional grade for his pass-blocking ability.
PFF also credited Campbell with a 96.5 efficiency rating, with the website attributing five sacks to the rookie offensive lineman. Notably, Campbell allowed only one pressure and no sacks through the final three games before his injury.
As Vrabel explained to reporters, the rookie LT has still been a constant presence in the locker room over the past month. In addition to rehabbing at Gillette Stadium, Campbell also joined his teammates for trips to Baltimore and New Jersey.
“Will cares deeply about this team and the players on it,” Vrabel said (via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com). “That was his decision. I usually would rather these guys stay, get some rest, recover, and get treatment. Once he started feeling good enough to travel, he asked to go. It can only help him to be around his teammates and be in the game.”
While Campbell’s been out of the lineup, the team turned to Vederian Lowe to soak up reps at left tackle. After grading out as one of the NFL’s worst offensive tackles through his first three seasons in the NFL, the veteran has performed a bit better in 2025, with PFF ranking him 60th among 86 qualifiers.
Patriots To Place LT Will Campbell On IR
The Patriots will go at least four games without starting left tackle Will Campbell. After Campbell sprained his MCL in a win over the Bengals in Week 12, the Patriots will place him on IR on Wednesday, head coach Mike Vrabel announced (via Mike Reiss of ESPN).
The good news for the Patriots is that this does not appear to be a season-ending injury. Campbell will be eligible to return for the Patriots’ regular-season finale in Week 18. If he’s not back then, it could be shortly after that, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
With the Patriots off to a 10-2 start and atop the AFC standings, it’s doubtful their season will conclude in Week 18. They’re on track to break a four-year playoff drought, and Campbell’s among the reasons for their success. The Patriots used the fourth overall pick in last spring’s draft on Campbell, a former LSU Tiger who has started in all 12 of the Pats’ games during their red-hot start.
With Campbell out for the next few weeks, Vrabel said that Vederian Lowe will take over on star second-year quarterback Drake Maye‘s blindside (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Lowe, who played the final 28 offensive snaps against the Bengals, was a 13-game starter for the Patriots in 2024.
With the Patriots installing two new starting tackles in Campbell and Morgan Moses, Lowe came up in trade rumors before the season. No deal came to fruition, though, and Lowe has spent 2025 as a backup. He’ll now have to step up in Campbell’s absence.
The Patriots’ injuries along the line don’t end with Campbell. Starting left guard Jared Wilson is also likely to miss this week’s game against the Giants, Vrabel said (via Kyed). Wilson, a third-rounder from Georgia, has joined Campbell in emerging as a full-time rookie starter. While Wilson suffered a high ankle sprain early against Cincinnati, there’s hope he’ll return sooner than the typical four- to six-week timeline, according to Rapoport.
Ben Brown, a 10-game starter last year, came on in relief of Wilson in Week 12. He seems likely to line up next to Lowe on Monday against the Giants’ Brian Burns-led defensive front. With the Patriots on a bye after that, it’s possible they’ll only go one game without Wilson.
Patriots LT Will Campbell To Undergo MRI On Knee
NOVEMBER 24: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Campbell is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain. Today’s MRI will provide a confirmation on that front, something which would set up a notable absence. Indeed, Vrabel said during an appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show Monday morning (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that Campbell’s injury “is going to probably be more than a week or two.” The Patriots have one game remaining before their bye.
NOVEBER 23: Will Campbell exited the Patriots’ win on Sunday. Head coach Mike Vrabel did not offer an update on the left tackle’s status after the game, but further testing is forthcoming.
Campbell suffered a knee injury during New England’s Week 12 contest. The first-round rookie was ultimately carted off the field and did not return to the game. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports an MRI will take place tomorrow. More on Campbell’s situation will be known at that point.
Losing the No. 4 pick for any extended period would deal a major blow to the Patriots’ offensive line. Upgrading that unit was understood inside and outside the organization to be a major offseason priority ahead of Vrabel’s first year at the helm. He and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have enjoyed a stellar campaign to date, with New England’s offense playing a major role in that regard. The team entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NFL in scoring.
The development of second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been a central storyline for the Patriots in 2025. His play (and that of the team, of course) will be greatly impacted in the event Campbell misses any significant time. The LSU product was – as expected – the top lineman selected in April’s draft. Upon entering the league, he faced concerns related to arm length. Campbell has worked exclusively on the blindside, though, ranking 27th amongst offensive tackles in PFF grade entering today’s game.
With a win over the Bengals, the Patriots sit at 10-2 on the year. The AFC leaders will look to maintain their strong showing down the stretch and into the playoffs, but Campbell’s status will be worth watching given his importance to the team. Fourth-year blocker Vederian Lowe filled in after Campbell went down, likely leaving him in line to start in Week 13 if necessary.
Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Sidelined For Week 1
The Patriots will be without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez in Week 1 due to a hamstring injury, but rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell will make his NFL debut.
Campbell was listed as questionable on New England’s final injury report, but the No. 5 pick will play through an ankle injury to protect Drake Maye‘s blind side.
Head coach Mike Vrabel said (via Chad Graff of The Athletic) on Friday that Gonzalez would be sidelined for the Patriots’ regular season opener against the Raiders.
“Everybody heals differently,” said Vrabel this week (via Graff), adding that he wants to make sure that his players can “do their job with confidence…protect themselves on the field and…can’t make it any worse.”
Gonzalez’s absence will leave the Patriots without their best cornerback and arguably their best defensive player against a new-look Raiders offense. Third-year corner Alex Austin will likely be the next man up at boundary cornerback opposite veteran Carlton Davis with Marcus Jones in the slot.
Gonzalez suffered the injury during the Patriots’ first day of padded practices on July 28. He hasn’t practiced since, making it unclear if he’ll even be back for Week 2, which brings a tougher set of receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The 2023 first-round pick endured a disappointing rookie year that ended after just four games due to a major shoulder injury. He came back to start 16 games with 978 defensive snaps, two interceptions, and a 71.7 passer rating when targeted. That earned him a second-team All-Pro nod as well as a fifth-place finish in Comeback Player of the Year voting, setting up a highly-anticipated third campaign ahead of his extension eligibility next offseason. Those expectations will have to wait at least one more game while Gonzalez gets back to full strength.
Patriots Sign First-Round LT Will Campbell
The first of this year’s tackles chosen now has a contract. The Patriots and Will Campbell agreed to terms on his four-year rookie deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
Chosen fourth overall, Campbell will be attached to a lofty fully guaranteed pact ($43.66MM). New England will have a fifth-year option on this contract, covering the 2029 season. This deal leaves Travis Hunter as the only top-10 pick unsigned.
The full guarantee on Campbell’s contract already ranks fifth among LTs, trailing only Andrew Thomas, Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley and Christian Darrisaw. Campbell’s No. 4 draft position this year calls for a substantially higher number than last year’s No. 4 choice (Marvin Harrison Jr.) received — at $35.37MM. The player Campbell has vowed to protect, 2024 No. 3 overall choice Drake Maye, will also see his LT’s terms outdistance his considerably. Maye is tied to a four-year, $36.64MM accord.
Although Cam Ward‘s No. 1 draft slot has not caught up with the monster payments the pre-rookie-scale era brought No. 1 QB choices, Campbell’s AAV and full guarantee have passed the final pre-rookie-scale No. 4 draftee (Trent Williams). The future Hall of Famer signed a six-year, $60MM Washington deal in 2010; that pact came with $26.38MM fully guaranteed. Campbell is the first rookie-deal O-lineman to surpass those terms in the rookie-scale era.
Moving beyond financials, the Patriots will have Campbell (barring injury) in their Week 1 lineup at left tackle. This comes after an ill-fated 2024 plan backfired, as a handful of options — free agent signings, low-end trade acquisitions and a waiver claim — took turns at the marquee O-line spot. The first of those options (Chukwuma Okorafor) left the team after one game. The Pats regrouped at tackle in Mike Vrabel‘s first offseason in charge, adding Morgan Moses to man the right side and targeting Campbell in Round 1. Although the Pats pursued Dan Moore Jr. and Cam Robinson for the blind side, Campbell and Moses will give Maye a better tackle setup compared to the makeshift configuration 2024 brought.
A consensus All-American at LSU, Campbell certainly performed like an elite LT in college. He still carried question marks heading into the draft. Specifically, scouts often criticized his lack of arm length. Campbell’s arm length measured 32.68 inches at the Combine, which falls short of the 33-inch point teams target with tackles. Oddly, Campbell then measured an even 33 inches at LSU’s pro day. Regardless of Campbell’s arm length, the Patriots were linked to the elite SEC blocker for months.
The Patriots have been unable to find a steady LT option since Nate Solder‘s lengthy tenure. Solder, who had succeeded long-running Tom Brady blind-sider Matt Light, left for a monster Giants contract in 2018. New England did well to land Trent Brown in a pick-swap trade with San Francisco that year, but its first-round pick that weekend — Isaiah Wynn — did not establish himself as a long-term option there. The Vrabel-Eliot Wolf pair will hope Campbell can do so, as his performance will be central to Maye’s development.
Patriots Select Will Campbell Fourth Overall
The long-running expectation has been that the Patriots would draft Will Campbell fourth overall. The LSU offensive tackle is indeed headed to New England.
The fourth-overall selection did provide a bit of intrigue heading into the draft. Cam Ward was the expected top-overall pick, while the draft’s two blue chip prospects (Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter) were always penciled in at second and third.
There was considered a relative drop off at No. 4 (depending on your feelings about selecting RB Ashton Jeanty that early), and as a result, Campbell was often mentioned as a potential option for New England. We heard earlier today that the LSU product was the expected choice of the Patriots, especially considering the team’s need for OL depth.
The Patriots invested much of the free agency budget on the defensive side of the ball, with right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury representing their major additions. With Cole Strange and Michael Onwenu at the two guard spots, the Patriots still had a hole at LT. The team will be hoping their new rookie will be capable of blocking for franchise QB Drake Maye, both now and in the future.
The consensus All-American certainly performed like an elite LT in college, but he still had plenty of question marks heading into the draft. Specifically, scouts often criticized his lack of length, making Campbell one of the more divisive prospects atop the draft board. While some believed the lineman’s poor wingspan wouldn’t impact his ability to perform in the NFL, others believed it’d ultimately lead to a position change.
The Patriots will surely be counting on Campbell to take over that LT spot for the foreseeable future. The team has struggled to find a solution at the position in recent years, and the team doesn’t really have many fallback options should Campbell fail (or need more time). The likes of Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace are the team’s current depth options, so the Patriots will need their rookie to succeed if they hope to take a step forward in 2025.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Patriots Still Expected To Select Will Campbell At No. 4
The Patriots were linked heavily to Travis Hunter in many early mock drafts with the potential of Shedeur Sanders being one of the first prospects to hear their names called. With that no longer the case, a top three order of Cam Ward (Titans), Hunter (Browns) and Abdul Carter (Giants) has emerged as the expectation for tonight.
If that plays out, the Patriots would be faced with the option of moving down the board from No. 4 overall or selecting from the remaining players. Connections to LSU’s Will Campbell have long been in place as a result, and that remains the case with the opening round hours away. Campbell is still widely seen as New England’s target, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports as well as ESPN’s Matt Miller report.
[RELATED: Pats Select Campbell In PFR’s Mock Draft]
Interestingly, Schultz adds Campbell should still be expected to join the Patriots even in the event Carter is still on the board by that point. The Giants could take a signal-caller (such as Sanders) third overall or opt to move down the Day 1 order. Carter remaining available with New England still on the clock would come as a surprise, but it would certainly add intrigue to the team’s decision. Long seen in tandem with Hunter as a top-two talent, Carter could add considerably to the Pats’ pass rush in 2025 and for many years beyond that.
On the other hand, upgrading along the O-line has remained a major priority through the offseason for New England. The team’s free agency moves resulted in the arrivals of right tackle Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury, with the latter replacing David Andrews shortly after his release. The left tackle spot remains an area of need, though, and Campbell could solidify it (provided, of course, he receives the opportunity to operate on the blindside as he did in college despite concerns about his arm length). Miller confirms the consensus All-American would be tasked with left tackle duties in the event he wound up being selected by the Patriots.
Miller’s colleague Jeremy Fowler reports New England recently traveled to Louisiana to meet once again with Campbell. That marks another indication this team-player pairing will become official tonight. While Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker emerged as a name to watch on this front earlier this week, he remains an outside candidate to hear his name called fourth overall as things stand.
AFC East Notes: Patriots, Bills, Banks
Consistently given Will Campbell in mock drafts (including ours), the Patriots may not be locked into the left tackle the way the Titans are with Cam Ward at No. 1. Eleventh-hour Pats connections to Georgia hybrid defender Jalon Walker are emerging, via Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline. Mike Vrabel has mentioned left tackle as a place the draft can provide an answer, and Pats-Campbell ties have persisted during the pre-draft process. Several reports have suggested the LSU product will be the Patriot pick. Walker recently auditioned for scouts, and Pauline adds the Pats sent a sizable contingent to a workout that also featured Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams. Pats brass soon dined with Walker, Pauline adds.
Showing the ability to be an edge defender and off-ball linebacker, Walker is expected to go off the board early. The Pats, who inquired about Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby this offseason, came up previously in connection to passing on Campbell to draft a pass rusher. With Abdul Carter likely going to Cleveland or New York, New England would be shut out from this draft’s top prospect tier at 4. Campbell should probably still be considered the favorite to go fourth overall, but it is not a lock.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Also viewing Campbell as the Pats’ most likely pick, SI.com’s Albert Breer mentions Walker as a wild card. But the veteran reporter also points to a New England desire to accumulate more draft capital — even if it is unable to move off No. 4 (in a draft without a QB prompting aggressive trade-up offers like last year’s brought for the Pats). Kayshon Boutte, months after voicing frustration with his role, could be a player the team would consider moving to acquire an extra pick. Two years remain on the 2023 sixth-round receiver’s rookie contract.
- Having seen four teammates (Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford) receive early-offseason extension, James Cook is not joining his teammates for the start of the Bills‘ offseason program, Brandon Beane confirmed (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) Tuesday. Cook skipping voluntary work is not surprising; he has been upfront about his desire for an upper-crust extension this offseason. The Bills have viewed the breakout RB as a core player, but it remains to be seen if they will give the multipurpose back a deal in the $15MM-AAV range. Early talks have not brought progress. One season remains on Cook’s contract. While the Bills did pay former Day 2 picks Devin Singletary or Zack Moss, Cook has been a better player and is one of this year’s top extension candidates.
- Extending Bernard and keeping Matt Milano via a pay-cut agreement, the Bills are in decent shape at linebacker. They are still being mentioned (via Schefter) as a team that could use a premium draft pick on the position. Holding the No. 30 overall choice, Buffalo is being tied to UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger. Milano having missed the bulk of the past two seasons does give Buffalo a bit of a need here, but the team has been more closely tied to other defensive positions in Round 1.
- Another injury-prone player who once earned All-Pro acclaim in Buffalo, Tre’Davious White is back. Discarded in 2024, White spent the season with the Rams and Ravens. Although White has seen the injury trouble move him off the surefire starter tier, he has another chance in Buffalo. He said (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg) following the Ravens’ divisional-round loss to the Bills that he began letting the team know he was interested in returning. At 30, White now profiles as a flier for a Bills team likely still looking for CB help.
- The Dolphins have done plenty of D-tackle work leading up to this draft, but ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter also links Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to Miami at No. 13. Banks’ stock looks to have climbed late, as he has been tied to going as high as the Raiders at No. 6 or the Jets at 7. Miami has Patrick Paul prepared to replace Terron Armstead, as Austin Jackson remains at RT.