After completing a mostly impressive rookie season in 2025, Will Campbell has been on the receiving end of a lot of scrutiny for his performance in the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It prompted the talking points that stuck with him during the pre-draft process, leading many to repeat their concerns about his fit as a left tackle in the NFL.
Although setbacks are expected for any rookie in the league, some of Campbell's weaknesses have been chalked up to things he can't change, like his arm length, which has many analysts believing he is better suited to be a guard rather than a tackle, especially on Drake Maye's blind side.
The Patriots didn't seem to help the situation by using their first-round pick in last month's draft on Caleb Lomu, a left tackle during his college career. While he does have experience on the right side, too, he mostly played on the left, which immediately got people talking.
Since joining New England, Lomu has practiced at both positions, with the assumption being he will be groomed to take over for right tackle Morgan Moses next year.
However, with lingering concerns about Campbell and Mike Vrabel's latest praise for Lomu, his future doesn't appear as clear as it once did.
Will Campbell doesn't hear the greatest update about rookie Caleb Lomu during OTAs
Ahead of the first OTAs in front of the media, Vrabel took the podium to answer questions, and among those asked was about the rookies, specifically Lomu.
He wasn't considered the top choice for the Patriots in the first round, but as the dominoes continued to fall at the position, they needed to trade up to get the player they liked. And because of that, Vrabel shared his latest take on how he's looked so far, which doesn't paint a solid picture for Campbell.
Mike Vrabel on #Patriots rookie Caleb Lomu:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) May 27, 2026
“He’s been an unbelievably coachable player. He’s young, he’s big, he’s athletic, and he’s willing to learn. He’s excited about learning... He’s gonna have the ability to play both sides… He’ll be on the right today.”
(🎥 @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/kEuOnj3DVE
Lomu couldn't have received more praise from his head coach at this stage of the offseason if he tried, and that's not the best news for Campbell.
The silver lining is that they're still moving Lomu around at both left and right tackle, and from what the coaching staff has said, the plan remains to keep him as a swing tackle and eventually start on the right.
That is the best-case scenario for Campbell, since Lomu will be his direct competition, plus he needs to watch out for another draft pick with Dametrious Crownover impressing early on, as well. If he continues to rise, he could bring the heat at right tackle, allowing his fellow 2026 draftee teammate to move to the left.
It's far too early to tell what will eventually happen, and it's probably going to be a stressful summer for a player like Campbell, especially after hearing what everyone has had to say in the months since the Super Bowl.
But the hope is that he will come back better than ever and prove he is the franchise left tackle the Patriots need, allowing Lomu to take over for Moses, just as the coaching staff had planned.
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