Will Campbell enters 2026 with a lot more on his plate than he had a year ago.
Last summer, the New England Patriots were getting ready to bring in their first-round pick from LSU for his first training camp as a pro. Now, after an up-and-down rookie year and a trip to the Super Bowl, Campbell is back for his second offseason with far more scrutiny attached to him. The questions are obvious: can he rebound, is he healthy enough to hold the job, and could the Patriots eventually decide to go another direction?
In the Patriots’ “Top 25 Patriots of 2026 Rankings,” Campbell comes in at No. 16, making him the fourth offensive lineman on the list so far. The upside is still there, but so is the uncertainty, especially with this year’s rookie class adding more pressure to his spot.
Campbell is expected to open the season as New England’s left tackle, where he carries the responsibility of protecting Drake Maye’s blind side. The fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft showed strong basics before his MCL injury in Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was tracking as one of the league’s better rookie linemen in both pass protection and run blocking.
The picture changed after he came back.
During the Patriots’ postseason run, Campbell gave up 29 pressures, including 14 in Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks. That stretch has fueled speculation that a move inside could ultimately make more sense for both him and the team.
Even with those concerns, Campbell has been attacking the offseason. With training camp nearing, he has been working through an aggressive training plan aimed at cleaning up the technical issues that showed up late in the year. He was also recently seen training in Oklahoma with veteran linemen Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles and Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo Bills.
There’s still plenty of belief in him inside the building. Eliot Wolf and Mike Vrabel have both praised Campbell this offseason, and the Patriots appear willing to give him another chance at left tackle, especially after drafting Caleb Lomu in the first round. Lomu played left tackle at Utah, and his presence has added another layer to the conversation.
That does not mean Campbell is out of the picture. He has already shown he can play good football at this level, and the Patriots may prefer to let him keep working at the spot before making any drastic changes. Still, if he struggles again or can’t stay healthy, the door is open for Lomu to take over on the left side, with Campbell potentially moving elsewhere along the line.
The season ahead feels pivotal for the LSU product. If he steadies himself, the Patriots get a key piece protecting Maye. If not, New England may have to rethink where Campbell fits, whether that’s at right tackle, guard, or somewhere else on the offensive line.
One thing working in Campbell’s favor is his relationship with Maye. The two have been seen together plenty over the past year, and that connection matters as Campbell looks to bounce back from a rookie season that had real highs, real lows, and a postseason finish that left a mark.
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