Will Campbell says the Patriots are taking a different tack in camp, and it starts with the big men on both sides of the ball talking to each other.
The idea is simple enough: if the offensive line and defensive line are going to sharpen one another, they might as well do it in real time. Campbell described a setup where the groups are trading information, pointing out what they see, and pushing each other to react faster.
“As much as we wanna kick their ass in practice and they wanna kick our ass, we want them to get as many sacks as possible and they want us to give up as few as possible," Campbell said (h/t Los Talks Pats).
"...It’s all the D-Linemen talking to the O-Linemen and vice versa. If we see something that they might be showing that we see that we can take advantage of, we communicate that, and they do the same."
That mindset fits what the Patriots are trying to fix. Last season, they allowed 3.3 sacks per game, which tied for fifth-worst in the league, according to Team Rankings data. On the other side, their defense produced 2.3 sacks per game, good for 18th in the NFL.
New England has already made moves to get sturdier up front, bringing in Alijah Vera-Tucker, Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, and Dre'Mont Jones. But the roster changes only matter if the group inside the building owns the work.
That’s why camp matters here. It’s the place to expose flaws, correct them, and build habits before the games start counting. The Patriots know the trenches can set the tone for everything else, and they’re treating practice like the proving ground.
Campbell is one of the names under the brightest spotlight. He flashed as a rookie, but the rough stretches were hard to ignore. Pro Football Focus credited him with 26 pressures allowed, along with five sacks and five quarterback hits, and the Seahawks kept targeting him in the Super Bowl.
Still, the Patriots aren’t treating one season like a final verdict. They invested in him, and if they’re going to stick with that bet, Campbell has to answer with better play and more edge.
The same goes for the defense, where Gabe Jacas missing the entire spring wasn’t ideal. Even so, the addition of Dre'Mont Jones should help New England create more disruption and collapse pockets more consistently.
For the Patriots, the work starts long before Week 1.
In Other News...
Patriots Got An Early Look At Caleb Lomus Biggest Rookie Test
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There were a few rough spots, but Lomu also had some moments that mattered in the flow of the game, especially in the running attack. He said the speed and overall skill level jump out right away compared with college, and he sounded energized by the experience even with the usual first-game growing pains still in view. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face A Real Debate If Vita Vea Becomes Available
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Christian Barmore and Josh Farmer are among the pieces being discussed in different trade frameworks, along with draft capital, and that is where the conversation gets tricky for the Patriots. Adding Vea would mean deciding how much value to place on a high-end tackle now versus the cost of parting with players and picks the team could use to build around the defense long term, which is exactly the kind of choice that can shape a front offices direction for more than one season. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Just Got A Much Tougher Christian Gonzalez Decision
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Gonzalez has positioned himself as the kind of young defensive back teams build around, and the new market set by Witherspoon now gives New England a fresh reference point in those talks. The expectation is that Gonzalezs eventual deal will need to climb past the new record, which makes the negotiation less about whether he gets paid and more about how far the Patriots are willing to go to keep one of their most important defenders in place. [Read more 🡒]