Every rookie is expected to endure some setbacks along the road toward becoming a competent
NFL starter, but
New England Patriots left tackle
Will Campbell isn’t about to use inexperience as an excuse for his mounting struggles during his debut season.
Instead, the fourth player taken in the 2025 NFL draft put it bluntly when he said, “Some of my plays from this year that, I wish I could have back, have came whenever I had help, which is weird as [Expletive], quite frankly. I need to play better. I hold myself to a higher standard than what I put out tonight,”
per MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels.
Those are strong words from a young player who knows he’s been floundering in recent weeks. Spending
four games on injured reserve late in the regular season didn’t help, but Campbell’s struggles have been amplified by the heightened stakes and intensity of playoff football, particularly during the Divisional Round against the
Houston Texans.
It’s a problem the Pats will hope won’t get worse in the AFC Championship Game against the
Denver Broncos, owners of the
league’s most prolific pass rush.
Will Campbell’s Becoming a Problem
Failing to contain Texans defensive ends
Will Anderson Jr. and
Danielle Hunter hardly makes Campbell unique. Yet, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel should still be more than mildly concerned the player he selected to be a top-tier blindside protector was beaten so often.
Campbell routinely failed to get his hands on Anderson, who logged three sacks. Including this
strip-sack in the third quarter.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/2013011785830605006
Anderson isn’t the only dynamic edge defender who has made Campbell appear out of his depth. There’s also
Odafe Oweh, who feasted for the
Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild-Card Round.
Just as he did after the Texans game, Campbell wasn’t
shy about using blunt language to sum up a dire performance. The 22-year-old told reporters, “I don’t give a [Expletive] what anyone says to be honest with you. It’s easy to type behind a twitter account that is fake… The Chargers, obviously I didn’t pitch a shutout. There’s 2 or 3 plays I wish I could have back. But, that’s 300 million dollars in defensive ends,”
per Patriots on CLNS.
While he’s got a point about the quality of pass-rushers he’s faced in these playoffs, Campbell’s primary job is to keep star quarterback
Drake Maye clean.
Unfortunately, he’s failing, and the job won’t get any easier in Denver on Sunday, January 25.
Broncos a Nightmare Matchup for Patriots
An offensive line punctured so often the last two games does not need to see the Broncos defensive front seven. More to the point, Campbell has every reason to fear his matchup against Denver rush ends
Nik Bonitto and
Jonathon Cooper.
Bonitto is the biggest threat thanks to his almost preternatural speed off the edge. Evidenced by this
sack, forced fumble against
Josh Allen and the
Buffalo Bills in the last round.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/2012665934562132459
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Keeping Maye upright remains the priority for these Patriots. Particularly against a Broncos team set to be
without their own QB1.
Campbell will need help to do his part, but there’s another problem. Notably how fellow rookie, left guard
Jared Wilson, is also having a difficult time responding to pressure and picking up stunts and slants during this postseason.
Like when this year’s third-rounder let Chargers defensive tackle
Teair Tart go by him
to get to Maye.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/2010549886882836546
Not being able to slide Tart across to help Campbell means offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels needs a different plan. Especially when the Broncos are also loaded along the interior, thanks to All-Pro
Zach Allen and
John Franklin-Myers.
McDaniels and O-line coach Doug Marrone must constantly keep extra bodies in front of Bonitto and Cooper. It will mean heavy use of two-tight end sets, having running backs chip and maybe even putting another tackle next to Campbell.
Whatever it takes to ensure a struggling rookie doesn’t prove decisive in denying the Patriots a trip to the Super Bowl.