Mike Vrabel Makes Stance Clear On Will Campbell Position Change

Mike Vrabel addressed the possibility of a position change for Will Campbell on Tuesday.

Mike Vrabel stuck up for left tackle Will Campbell after his tough postseason performances. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Fewer players had a tougher postseason than Patriots left tackle Will Campbell.

Over New England’s four playoff games, quarterback Drake Maye was sacked 21 times and was under regular duress as the Patriots faced a daunting slew of pass rushers from the Texans, Broncos and Seahawks. During the Patriots’ 29-13 Super Bowl loss to Seattle, the Seahawks took advantage of the left side of the Patriots' line as Campbell allowed a whopping 14 pressures, according to Next Gen Stats.

More: What Patriots Need to Do This Offseason to Return to Super Bowl

Though Campbell did not play well and there have been concerns surrounding his arm length since before he was drafted, the Patriots have no intention of moving him to another position along the line.

“Will’s 22 years old. He’s our left tackle,” head coach Mike Vrabel said on Tuesday. “He’ll get better, he’ll get stronger. There’s moments where he played well, there’s moments where he blocked a guy. There’s plays he’d like to have back. We’re not moving Will Campbell to guard or center or tight end or anywhere else.”

Maye also stood up for his teammate, telling reporters, “The expectations of a first round pick, I think he’s dealt with so much this year. It’s going to be great for him in the future. He’s going to be a great player in this league, he already is a great player in this league. … I love Will. I look forward to playing with him for a long time.”

Drake Maye on Will Campbell:

“The expectations of a first round pick, I think he’s dealt with so much this year. It’s going to be great for him in the future. He’s going to be a great player in this league, he already is a great player in this league… I love Will. I look… pic.twitter.com/NblmqIWkyK

— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) February 10, 2026

Will Campbell's rookie regular season was largely a success for Patriots

While it was certainly not a postseason to remember, Campbell did actually have a solid rookie campaign before suffering a torn ligament in his knee which caused him to miss time late in the regular season. Campbell returned for the final game of the regular season and playoffs, and though he did not use his injury as an excuse, it was clear he was not the same player while dealing with that.

During the regular season, Campbell ranked in the top 30 among tackles in pass blocking according to PFF with a grade of 76.1. In the postseason, he dropped to the second-lowest tackle in pass blocking with a paltry PFF grade of 34.7.

More: Full List of Patriots 2026 Free Agents, Potential Trade and Retirement Candidates

Instead of making any rash decisions based on Campbell’s poor play against some of the best pass rushers in the game while coming back from a significant injury, the Patriots will continue supporting their rookie tackle heading into his sophomore campaign. Campbell still has plenty of room to grow and develop, but the Patriots clearly believe in his ability to do that and protect Maye’s blindside in the future.

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