The New England Patriots crushed the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4, 45-17, but it was, to some extent, a costly win. Starting left tackle Will Campbell went out with a right knee injury, the same knee and MCL he injured last season.
That injury wrecked what had been a solid start to last season, and he was never the same after his return.
Though early reports are promising, especially since Campbell participated in a limited capacity at practice on Thursday, injuring the same MCL isn't great news for an already thin offensive line. As a result, Pro Football Focus (PPF) has significantly downgraded the Patriots' offensive line's NFL ranking.
Fortunately, the Patriots made a smart move by drafting Utah's left tackle, Caleb Lomu, in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Lomu was drilled and ready to step in instantly when Campbell went out and acquitted himself well against the Raiders.
In his 29 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed zero sacks or hits, and only one pressure on Drake Maye. Drafting Lomu was the Patriots' smartest offseason O-line move.
The New England Patriots O-line depth is paper thin
For some odd reason, the Patriots haven't learned the ultimate NFL lesson: your entire game depends on your offensive line. A great quarterback, especially one as mobile as Drake Maye, can cover a lot of deficiencies.
But if he's forced to scramble too often, you risk injuring your most prized asset and can't take full advantage of his outstandingly accurate arm.
The team should have realized that an O-line that surrendered 47 regular-season sacks and 21 more in the playoffs, including six in the Super Bowl that cost them the Lombardi Trophy, needed more than tinkering around the edges.
It required a significant overhaul, or, at a minimum, stacking sufficient NFL-proven depth to withstand the expected swathe of injuries, some of which have already occurred.
PFF's ranking is based solely on the fact that Campbell will miss the Jets game in week 6.
"The Patriots’ drop here is entirely down to the likelihood that Will Campbell misses this week’s game against the New York Jets. Rookie left tackle Caleb Lomu replaced Campbell when he went down and looked solid in pass protection, allowing one pressure from 29 pass-blocking snaps.
It would be the second starter the Patriots would be without, with Ben Brown taking over for the injured Mike Onwenu after his injury early in the season."
Calling the entire offensive line into question because of Campbell's loss is a dubious assessment. His replacement, Caleb Lomu, may be a rookie, but he was a first-round pick whose forte is pass-blocking. He surrendered zero sacks for the Utes in 2025.
He's a left tackle by trade and should be fine against the Jets. The only problem with Lomu stepping in at left tackle is the opportunity cost of not starting at another position on the O-line.
Lomu is a better option than either the mentioned right guard Brown, a career backup, or the 35-year-old right tackle, Morgan Moses. When Campbell returns, both he and Lomu should start. Wherever Lomu is slotted in, he's a better pass-blocker for the Patriots than the player he'd replace.
Offensive line quality and depth were serious issues all offseason long. The team added only Lomu and injury-prone left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to substantially address the situation.
It wasn't nearly enough, and they're paying the price for that blunder now.
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