The Patriots didn’t just get stronger in the 2025 draft - they got a rookie class that changed the shape of the roster. Five first-year players, Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, Jared Wilson, Craig Woodson, and Andres Borregales, all chipped in enough to help Mike Vrabel pull off the rare worst-to-first turnaround in his first season back in Foxboro.
That kind of immediate impact is unusual anywhere. For New England, it helped fuel a year that ended with a lopsided loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, but also exposed a line that still needed work. The Patriots allowed 48 sacks during the regular season, and the biggest takeaway from the front office was clear: Drake Maye needed more protection.
So New England went back to the well and used another first-round pick on a tackle, Caleb Lomu.
Lomu doesn’t arrive with the same immediate pressure Campbell faced a year ago, but that doesn’t mean he’s just a long-term project. At 21, he’s still developing, yet his size and movement skills make him a real factor from the jump. He checks in at 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, with long arms and elite athleticism, and the argument can be made that his physical tools fit Maye’s blind side even better than Campbell’s do.
That doesn’t automatically put him ahead of Campbell. But it does put the left tackle situation under a spotlight.
Campbell’s rookie year had a rough finish, and there were real questions when he entered the league about whether tackle would ultimately be his best spot. The Patriots, including Vrabel and Eliot Wolf, moved quickly to shut down any talk that Lomu’s arrival changed Campbell’s status.
Still, if Lomu shows the kind of steady pass protection that earned him first-team All-Big 12 honors in his final college season, the conversation is going to start on its own.
And there’s another wrinkle. If Campbell doesn’t take a meaningful step forward, the door could open wider than anyone expected.
Lomu might also have a path on the right side. Morgan Moses is the incumbent starter next to Michael Onwenu, but the 35-year-old is deep into his career and has a lot of wear on him.
He has played 183 regular-season games since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2014, and banking on another fully healthy season would be risky. Lomu has mostly worked at right tackle since arriving, so even with the experience gap, he could push Moses in camp.
That’s where this gets interesting for New England. The ideal outcome isn’t simply that Lomu learns behind veterans. It’s that he plays well enough in camp and preseason action to force the coaches into a real decision.
If Campbell holds down left tackle, Lomu could still become an athletic answer on the right side alongside Onwenu. If Lomu proves he belongs sooner than expected, the Patriots could even consider moving Campbell to guard.
A starting five of Lomu, Campbell, Wilson, Onwenu, and Moses would give the team one of the more intriguing offensive lines around. And with Alijah Vera-Tucker also in the mix, capable of starting at either guard or right tackle, there’s even more flexibility in play.
That kind of depth can create another possibility, too: if Lomu forces his way into the lineup, Onwenu could become a trade candidate for a draft pick.
Moses’ contract only adds another layer. He carries a $7.3 million dead cap charge, according to Spotrac, so any shift up front would have real financial implications.
For now, the Patriots are in a position most teams would love to have. Lomu and Vera-Tucker have given them options, and if the rookie is as ready as his tools suggest, training camp could hand New England exactly the kind of problem a contender wants.
In Other News...
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What makes the suggestion more interesting from a Patriots perspective is the name attached to it. Brandin Cooks, who once came through New England as a first-round pick, has been floated as a possible fit in Miami, where his experience could make him useful right away and potentially attractive enough to become a trade chip later on if things go well. For a division rival, that is the kind of move that can quietly matter twice, first in the lineup and then again if the season turns into a deadline market. [Read more 🡒]
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To make room, the Patriots waived offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez, shifting one young player out as another comes in. Rookie receiver Jimmy Kibble also cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve, leaving the team with a little more clarity on the roster math, even if the competition for spots in the passing game is only just getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Finally Have A Chance To Fix Their Pass Rush
The Patriots spent the offseason looking for answers up front, and the pass rush remains one of the clearest places where the roster still feels unfinished. Harold Landry is working back from offseason surgery, Gabe Jacas does not have a settled future, and K'Lavon Chaisson is gone in free agency, leaving New England with a defensive line that still needs more disruption before the season gets here.
One possible fix would be a bold trade, with the kind of move that would instantly change the conversation around the front seven. If that kind of deal never materializes, the Patriots could still turn to the veteran market and look for a name like Jadeveon Clowney, but either path points to the same reality: this is a team that knows it has to add more juice off the edge and may not be done shopping yet. [Read more 🡒]