The Patriots will go at least four games without starting left tackle Will Campbell. After Campbell sprained his MCL in a win over the Bengals in Week 12, the Patriots will place him on IR on Wednesday, head coach Mike Vrabel announced (via Mike Reiss of ESPN).
The good news for the Patriots is that this does not appear to be a season-ending injury. Campbell will be eligible to return for the Patriots’ regular-season finale in Week 18. If he’s not back then, it could be shortly after that, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
With the Patriots off to a 10-2 start and atop the AFC standings, it’s doubtful their season will conclude in Week 18. They’re on track to break a four-year playoff drought, and Campbell’s among the reasons for their success. The Patriots used the fourth overall pick in last spring’s draft on Campbell, a former LSU Tiger who has started in all 12 of the Pats’ games during their red-hot start.
With Campbell out for the next few weeks, Vrabel said that Vederian Lowe will take over on star second-year quarterback Drake Maye‘s blindside (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Lowe, who played the final 28 offensive snaps against the Bengals, was a 13-game starter for the Patriots in 2024.
With the Patriots installing two new starting tackles in Campbell and Morgan Moses, Lowe came up in trade rumors before the season. No deal came to fruition, though, and Lowe has spent 2025 as a backup. He’ll now have to step up in Campbell’s absence.
The Patriots’ injuries along the line don’t end with Campbell. Starting left guard Jared Wilson is also likely to miss this week’s game against the Giants, Vrabel said (via Kyed). Wilson, a third-rounder from Georgia, has joined Campbell in emerging as a full-time rookie starter. While Wilson suffered a high ankle sprain early against Cincinnati, there’s hope he’ll return sooner than the typical four- to six-week timeline, according to Rapoport.
Ben Brown, a 10-game starter last year, came on in relief of Wilson in Week 12. He seems likely to line up next to Lowe on Sunday against the Giants’ Brian Burns-led defensive front. With the Patriots on a bye after that, it’s possible they’ll only go one game without Wilson.