Despite not having the sturdiest offensive line in football, the New England Patriots held their own pretty well for the most part last season. That was with one rookie at left tackle and another one moving from center to left guard.
Of course, Will Campbell didn't close out the season on the highest of notes, and Jared Wilson also struggled at times, so there are some legitimate concerns about the duo entering year two. However, Josh McDaniels sees it as a 'glass half full' situation.
When asked about the second-year linemen, the Patriots' offensive coordinator had nothing but praise for the hard work they've put in between seasons. If anything, they can still become a pillar of this offense for years to come.
The Patriots are still high on Will Campbell and Jared Wilson ahead of Year 2
Scouts doubted Campbell's short arms and wondered whether he would be better off playing guard. That might still be the case, but he deserves a pass after suffering late-season injuries, especially given that it wasn't all negative.
For McDaniels, there's nowhere to go but up after some growing pains in year one:
“I don’t really look at it as a rebound. I look at it as a progression of a second-year player,” McDaniels said (h/t Boston Herald). “Locked in, good spring, good camp. Trying to work on the things that he knows that at his position are important and critical to his improvement.”
As for Wilson, moving back to his preferred and natural position should work wonders for him. He didn't always look the part at left guard, and he struggled with run-blocking at times, but moving back to the middle of the line should bring out the best in him:
“I think he has a comfort level with this position that he’s going to play this year, just because he’s had more experience at it, obviously,” the offensive coordinator said.
The Patriots were long overdue for an offensive line shake-up. They'll have to endure a learning curve, but letting the youngsters grow through their mistakes will be the easiest, quickest path to having a solid offensive line for the next five or ten years.
Rookie first-round pick Caleb Lomu also looked the part in training camp and the preseason. They moved him around because of all the injuries, and he should be the team's swing tackle right out of the gate. If he pans out, the Patriots would have three out of their five linemen on the same timeline.
Contending teams can rarely afford to preach patience with their youngsters. Every mistake is much more expensive when you're aiming for the big prize. Conversely, how else will they develop and earn their stripes in this league?
Some players need more time to get their legs under them, and counting out a rookie after some early struggles is unfair and unnecessary. McDaniels might be saying what everyone wants to hear, but for now, fans should choose to believe him and give them the benefit of the doubt.
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