The New England Patriots underwent a full makeover this offseason after the disastrous (and all too brief) head coaching tenure of Jerod Mayo. Their first pivot away from Bill Belichick was a failure, so naturally the Patriots are turning to another Belichick disciple in Mike Vrabel. Along with him comes the return of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator, a longtime collaborator with Belichick and Tom Brady in Foxboro.
So, yeah. The Patriots are still keeping it in the family, so to speak. But something does feel different this season. Unlike Mayo, who was a complete wild card with minimal coaching experience, Vrabel is a former head coach who experienced tremendous success in Tennessee, where he once led the Titans to the No. 1 overall seed.
Vrabel spent last year out of a job, but his return to the sidelines was imminent. He will look to reshape the culture in New England and re-establish that Patriot Way attitude that made the Pats so damn good for so damn long. It would help if Drake Maye is ready for a breakthrough.
After cracking the Pro Bowl roster as a rookie, it seems like a given that Maye will take a step forward in 2025. The roster is better. The coaches are better. What could possibly hold him back?
Well... actually, there is one potential hiccup.
Struggling Patriots rookie Will Campbell threatens to make life difficult on Drake Maye
New England's roster underwent several major upgrades this offseason, most notably the additions of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins at wide receiver. But perhaps the most consequential newcomer is rookie offensive lineman Will Campbell, the No. 4 overall pick out of LSU.
For a team with a well-documented issue in pass protection, Campbell felt like an instant remedy. He's there to keep Maye cleaner in the pocket for longer. And yet, the early reports on Campbell out of training camp are less than ideal. He has a long way to go it seems.
"Will Campbell and Jared Wilson both lost their first reps in 1v1s to Keion White and Milton Williams," writes Patriots.com's Evan Lazar on X. "White got Campbell twice today, but Campbell did better to mirror Bradyn Swinson’s inside move on his third rep."
Will Campbell and Jared Wilson both lost their first reps in 1v1s to Keion White and Milton Williams. White got Campbell twice today, but Campbell did better to mirror Bradyn Swinson’s inside move on his third rep.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 4, 2025
Good day for Elijah Ponder. Gave him three wins.
While it's a little premature to panic, many questioned whether or not Campbell — a tackle with short arms and middling physical traits — was actually worth the fourth overall pick. He dominated college competition at LSU, but the NFL presents a much steeper challenge. We know the Patriots needed O-line help, but drafting for need over ability is bad practice. Especially that high in the draft.
Patriots need Will Campbell to get up to speed quickly
There's still plenty of camp and preseason action left for Campbell to fine-tune his skill set before the regular season gets underway. Most rookies are slow out of the gate before exploding a few games into the season, once their legs are under them. It's no different for tackles. Campbell's position is far more complex than it might look on the surface and he's learning against some of the most physically dominant athletes in the world.
New England needs Campbell to come out of the gates strong, though. New England probably isn't a contender next season, but this franchise needs to show some sort of forward momentum. Last season was utterly abysmal. The team felt stuck in the mud. So few winning habits were on display. If the Patriots can't at least compete week to week, the alarm bells will sound.
Maye did well under non-ideal circumstances last season, but he won't reach his ceiling unless the Patriots can better protect him. A lot of that falls on Campbell, who is expected to start Week 1 and incur a heavy snap count befitting a top-four pick at his position. The pressure is on...