The bad news for the New England Patriots is that Will Campbell suffered a knee injury last week that landed him on injured reserve for the next four weeks. The good news, if any, is that the team’s offensive line is continuing to help the rookie in his recovery — as well as working to alleviate the hole the first round rookie leaves at left tackle.
Sitting at his locker earlier this week, starting center Garrett Bradbury spoke to reporters about how some of the veteran linemen are helping Campbell.
The Patriots’ Veteran Linemen Are Helping Will Campbell in His Recovery
“It’s a blessing because it looked really bad,” Bradbury said. “He hasn’t dealt with a whole lot of injury adversity. Me and (starting right tackle) Morgan (Moses) have kind of been in his ear about things he can do in the time being to get back faster and mentally to stay in it. It’s going to happen — it’s the NFL, injury rate is 100 percent — and he can come back from this better.”
Campbell went down against the Bengals in the Patriots’ 26-20 win, and was replaced by veteran Vederian Lowe. Following the game, head coach Mike Vrabel had no updates on the rookie’s status. One day later, he alluded to the fact that the fourth overall pick from this year’s draft was dealing with an MCL sprain, opening the door for Lowe to make his first start of the year.
Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) walks out of the player’s tunnel before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
“I think the plan right now would be to go with Vederian coming out of that game, and (rookie tackle) Marcus (Bryant) will be ready to go,” Vrabel said.
The Patriots will be shorthanded on the left side of the line against the New York Giants under the lights in Week 13. Lowe will slot in to protect Drake Maye’s blindside, and next to him will be Ben Brown to replace the injured guard Jared Wilson.
With two reserves in the lineup, it’s critical for both players to contribute in both the running and passing games with the opportunities presented to them.
“Coach Vrabel always tells us to take advantage of the opportunities you are given,” Bradbury said. “He preaches that. He preaches to prepare like you’re a starter, so I think that’s always in the back of guys’ minds. It’s a good opportunity for the guys filling in. I’m excited to play with those guys. We have all the confidence, and I put a little more emphasis on communication. It doesn’t matter who’s in there, if I can get all five guys on the same page, then we have the plays, players and coaches to make it work.”
How Does Drake Maye Feel About His Center’s Leadership?
The communication that Bradbury expressed to the reporters isn’t lost on his teammates, as his quarterback echoes that his center continues to lead — regardless of who’s in the starting lineup.
Nov 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) waits under center during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
“Credit to Garrett for what he’s done,” Maye said. “First off, coming into the o-line room and bringing some swagger. He’s a Charlotte guy; he went to the wrong college, but he’s done a great job this year. He plays really hard. He’s kind of the coordinator, as every center is. He does a great job communicating with me.”
New England is hopeful that Wilson, who’s dealing with a high-ankle sprain, will be good to go after the team’s Week 14 bye. After all, the two rookie linemen have been core pieces of the team’s postseason push. For the time being however, it’s up to the next men up who hope to push the Patriots’ record to a league-best 11-2.