Can Will Campbell bounce back from last season’s knee injury to anchor the Patriots’ offensive line?
FOXBOROUGH — This offseason, the Patriots continued to craft an offensive line worthy of an MVP candidate, using more high-value draft capital and free agent dollars to build out their protection plan for quarterback Drake Maye and the ground game. As a result, things seem more settled up front than at this point last year.
But as training camp nears next month, personnel questions remain. Can they get another 17 games out of veteran Morgan Moses at right tackle? Can newcomer Alijah Vera-Tucker — coming off a torn triceps — be the long-term answer at left guard? Will rookies Caleb Lomu and Dametrious Crownover be pressed into service because of injury or subpar play? And has left tackle Will Campbell sufficiently rebounded from a late-season knee injury that left him largely ineffective in the playoffs?
On Tuesday, while Vera-Tucker was on the field in a limited role — running sprints while the rest of the offense went through 11-on-11 work — Moses left practice with an unknown ailment. He walked to the athletic training shed in the corner of the practice field, and to the locker room soon after that.
Without Moses, the Patriots used a rotation at right tackle that included Lomu and second-year player Marcus Bryant. It’s certainly early in the process, but Lomu would likely have the inside track at right tackle if Moses was unavailable for an extended stretch.
“He’s been an unbelievably coachable player,” coach Mike Vrabel said of the first-round pick. “He’s young, he’s big, he’s athletic, and he’s willing to learn. He’s excited about learning. So, where he plays, we want to end up with the five best linemen. I think he’s going to have the ability to play both [left and right tackle].”
Lomu also has been getting some guidance from Campbell, who texted the rookie soon after he was taken 28th overall this spring. The goal was to pay it forward in much the same way Moses did with him last year.
“Plan on me and him being here for a while together, so starting our relationship as soon as possible was something I wanted to do,” Campbell said when asked about reaching out to the rookie. “I’m super excited for the future with him.”
Two spots that appear to be locked down are center and right guard. Jared Wilson is set to move from left guard to center for Garrett Bradbury, while Mike Onwenu figures to return as the right guard. In addition, veteran Ben Brown appears to be the No. 1 backup along the interior at both center and guard. (He took some reps at left guard with the No. 1 offense in place of Vera-Tucker.)
It’s also worth noting that while there’s a faction that would like to see Campbell move to left guard, he’s taken every snap at left tackle with the No. 1 offense throughout the spring sessions. It’s reasonable to assume that, barring a setback, Vrabel is going to leave him to settle in and develop at left tackle.
Following an inconsistent postseason, Campbell revealed that he suffered a torn ligament in his right knee late in the regular season against the Bengals. He did not have surgery, instead using rest and rehab to recover.
“Getting back healthy, I did [physical therapy] five days a week the entire offseason. Until we got back, basically,” Campbell said. “Just trying to rebuild the strength in my knee to get it back to where it was previously. And I feel like I did a good job with that. Just working, training, and trying to put myself in the best position possible to come back in the best shape I can.”
Campbell said he’s looking to improve “everywhere” heading into his second season.
“Nobody’s a finished product. It’s not one specific thing that I’m going to nail,” he said. “I’ve worked at everything every day. I’m 22. I’m a long way from where I’m going to be in the future.
“I’m building everything, every day. And trying to make everything as a whole, better.”
Ultimately, while the offensive line still faces questions, the offseason changes have some in the building — including Maye — preaching confidence in Campbell and the rest of group.
“He’s got a great mind-set,” Maye said of Campbell. “I think he understands the business and what this league is about.
“I think he’s got a great attitude. He’s working his butt off in there. Those offensive linemen, they’ve been doing a great job in the weight room. I’m not lifting the same weights as them, but I’ve been there with them [and] it’s fun to watch them. And I think, he’s got a little extra motivation for himself to prove to us and prove to himself he can be one of the best players in this league at his position.”
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