The Patriots may have wanted Caleb Lomu to push Will Campbell at left tackle, but the second preseason game didn’t make this look like much of a real fight.
Lomu got his shot against the Philadelphia Eagles, and the results were tough to miss. His pass protection wasn’t where it needed to be, and when the ball went to the left side in the run game, things got stuffed. Those were the kind of rough reps that do more to expose a rookie than create a competition.
That leaves Campbell in the spotlight again heading into his second season. After a rookie year that started strong, his season was derailed by injury, and he admitted the level of play dropped once that happened.
“I felt like before I got hurt [Nov. 23], I was playing some solid ball,” Campbell said via ESPN's Mike Reiss.
Some rough reps from Caleb Lomu last night. pic.twitter.com/2EiaL8K0bQ
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) August 23, 2026
“And after that, I didn't play the way I needed to play. So just learning from it, fixing it.
After the season, I was just worried about getting healthy, building my strength back to where I knew it needed to be and coming into [spring practices] ready to go, trying to do everything I can to put myself in the best position possible to help the team.”
Campbell has spent time reaching out to top tackles around the league, including Tristian Wirfs and Lane Johnson, as he works to get back to the version of himself he believes he can be.
For now, Lomu’s showing suggests the Patriots aren’t close to turning the job over. Campbell looks like the one most likely to open the year at left tackle, and if he can rebound, that would be a welcome outcome for New England.
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