Will Campbell Watch

[JoeSixPat]

Well, we are giving him that trial by fire next. So we'll all see. So much of this game will depend on how the Pats OL does.

And if they need to consider shifting both Will and Wilson inside.

The Chargers showed everyone else how to disrupt Maye's blindside so we'll certainly see them tested often.

I think as we found throughout the year though, they don't need to be perfect for Maye to have a big game. He's been taking a TON of hits all year and brushing them off, making plays, running etc. - this has nicely covered up some deficiencies.

The fact that Maye has done this AND had a VERY effective deep ball has also helped keep Ds honest as they'd just blitz all day if he weren't so effective and efficient deep.

No knock on Campbell (who is still in his learning curve) but with a late 1st round pick this year, I'm sure there will be high consideration of someone who can play LT and perhaps LG to add depth to the line. I don't put a huge amount of stock in PFF ratings but Wilson ranks out pretty low at LG, and it doesn't help Campbell to have a weak link next to him.

It'd be smart football to bring in a guy to challenge Wilson for the starting LG position and add depth to the line.

 

[Toofy]

Wilson experiment at LG ends this year . He needs to prove his worth at center next season or gets carted off elsewhere. When Ben Brown outperforms you that's a very low bar .

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Nah, the Cleveland game was pretty brutal...

The problem vs Cleveland was we had a TE chipping Garrett which seemed to throw off the spacing and timing for Campbell. When Campbell drops way back and the DE gets too long of a running start, there's problems. Ted Johnson last night said he needs to stay further out and also needs to keep his hands inside on the rusher, that he was spreading his arms too far apart. I agree with the earlier poster, though, that those weeks that Lowe played were very good in terms of pass pro.

 

[Kdo5]

Wilson experiment at LG ends this year . He needs to prove his worth at center next season or gets carted off elsewhere. When Ben Brown outperforms you that's a very low bar .

Doubt that’ll happen they’ll try next season too. Vrabel seems like a guy who focuses on building up struggling players confidence rather than benching.

I would feel more comfortable with Ben Brown on Sunday though, for sure.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Nah, the Cleveland game was pretty brutal...

It was not just the Cleveland game, the Atlanta game, the Tampa game. When the opponent has premier Dline, the left side has been found lacking.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

The problem vs Cleveland was we had a TE chipping Garrett which seemed to throw off the spacing and timing for Campbell. When Campbell drops way back and the DE gets too long of a running start, there's problems. Ted Johnson last night said he needs to stay further out and also needs to keep his hands inside on the rusher, that he was spreading his arms too far apart. I agree with the earlier poster, though, that those weeks that Lowe played were very good in terms of pass pro.

Yeah, TE to his side doesn't really help Campbell. His physical limitation is his short reach, making it harder for him to make first contact off the edge. You put a TE on his side and yeah maybe you get an initial block, but you've still moved the DE out wider where Campbell's reach issues are more exaggerated now.

If you're going to help Campbell it should be with a back out of the backfield or with the TE aligned more toward the slot and cracking down on the DE as opposed to playing in line and forcing the DE out even wider.

 

[Toofy]

Doubt that’ll happen they’ll try next season too. Vrabel seems like a guy who focuses on building up struggling players confidence rather than benching.

I would feel more comfortable with Ben Brown on Sunday though, for sure.

I meant this season . 2026 will be fully at Center and hoping Wilson can make that job his . As far as Wilson at LG goes, not sure we ride the pine again next year.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The Chargers showed everyone else how to disrupt Maye's blindside

Maybe. But maybe you need to have a power rusher on Khalil Mack's level, which is uncommon

 

[TommyD4207]

Maybe. But maybe you need to have a power rusher on Khalil Mack's level, which is uncommon

Will Anderson's pretty comparable, to be honest.

But at least it's someone Campbell has played against before.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I'm an idiot, kill me.

 

[n1997y]

I’m confused here, I’m questioning those that are claiming Campbell is now a league average LT after one bad game after playing very well for the majority of the year. I agree that there is likely some lingering issues from the injury. Either way, Campbell is a very good LT and will only get better.

I haven’t seen posts claiming Campbell is league average LT, but maybe I’m not following those threads. If that’s it thanks for reinforcing my decision to ignore that noise. What I have seen is a resurgence in folks insisting on pigeonholing Campbell at LG which is just numbskulls self identifying, and posts dismissing the one bad game without questioning whether it’s the start of a trend.

With the circumstances of Campbell just coming off IR I think there needs to be a question asked about whether there’s more to it than just facing superior competition. I’m also wondering if part of the problem might have been that with Campbell coming coming off IR and Wilson having been out with his injury there was a loss of cohesion within the OL. If that’s it I’d expect Marrone will get it fixed this week. But if it’s lingering injury issues I really hope the coaching staff won’t be afraid to make a change if that’s what’s needed to fix it. It’s the playoffs,money and done, no time for fixing something next game when there won’t be a next game if it’s not fixed RIGHT NOW!

 

[n1997y]

If you're going to help Campbell it should be with a back out of the backfield or with the TE aligned more toward the slot and cracking down on the DE as opposed to playing in line and forcing the DE out even wider.

Or Munford at either FB or jumbo TE. He knows how to block DEs.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Call me crazy, but Buffalo throwing that game at the end of last year vs us and us ending up with Will Campbell now feels like a blessing in disguise.

Thanks Jerod!

If we had lost that game, we would have had the #1 pick and could have traded down to pick #4 (for Campbell) and gained two more R1 picks in 2026/2027, maybe a R2 pick also. There is no benefit in losing the #1 pick.

 

[upstater1]

Call me crazy, but Buffalo throwing that game at the end of last year vs us and us ending up with Will Campbell now feels like a blessing in disguise.

Thanks Jerod!

Could've traded down easily from #1 and still taken Campbell. No one else was taking him in the top 7.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Could've traded down easily from #1 and still taken Campbell. No one else was taking him in the top 7.

I withdraw my statement and will submit myself to the police for execution.

 

[Triumph]

Campbell has a new nickname.

Every Friday Campbell gets up before the whole team and gives them the next game weather report. Its supposed to be hilarious. Austin Hooper says he does a fairly good job and might be able to make a living at it, but Campbell would likely wind up in HR first day on the job for some of his comments.

 

[p8ryts]

Wilson experiment at LG ends this year . He needs to prove his worth at center next season or gets carted off elsewhere. When Ben Brown outperforms you that's a very low bar .

Maybe we could just wait and see what an off-season conditioning program can do along with a year two bump.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Maybe. But maybe you need to have a power rusher on Khalil Mack's level, which is uncommon

The reality is that the OL right now is middle of the pack in the NFL and Maye himself has taken a ton of hits this season... and his legs have gotten him out of other problems.

Part of the reason we're middle of the pack in OL rankings is because of Wilson - it's kindof been a "Bend for awhile and then break knowing that Maye can get the ball off and handle the hit" type of an OL scheme.

They will get better and do better in the future but it only helps Maye to get a stronger LG next to him next season - and I wouldn't be surprised if they take someone with LT experience to move him to LG providing depth at two positions as I look at Wilson as a good backup.

 

[jdlboot14]

Wilson experiment at LG ends this year . He needs to prove his worth at center next season or gets carted off elsewhere. When Ben Brown outperforms you that's a very low bar .

It actually needs to end this week. Brown was visibly better the last few weeks. I've said it all season, and now finally "ball knowers" like Lazar and Barth are saying it. Brown is bigger and more fundamentally sound at LG right now - which is the only thing that matters. Wilson will be fine, he can grow and be in the mix next year.
I really think they messed up by starting Wilson last week. They had a perfect excuse to start Brown and then determine if they needed to make the switch to the rookie. But, now it's a bit sensitive, because it will look like "demoting", so they probably won't go back to Brown.

 

[sb1]

Not excited about Campbell’s play the last couple of games. Getting beaten like a drum by good rushers isn’t ideal. He’s not gonna quiet the Guard talk if he keeps this up. Hopefully the problem is he’s not healthy yet and not something else.