Held Hostage by the OT Position 2025

[Huckleberry1]

Cute. You feel good about Jaxson Dart under center instead? That’s what you would’ve gotten.

He’s just saying stupid **** to try and piss people off. I’m starting to believe he’s mentally ill.

 

[State]

David Bakhtiari on his subtle tricks to draw the defense off sides wind draw a free play. This should be taught. This is the kind of in-game tactics I hope Morgan Moses can teach the rookie. Great stuff. No reason to let the defenders fire off. Make them start thinking. Slow’s ‘em down.

 

[jmt57]

I think the Patriots could be a playoff team this upcoming season.

Would love to hear your take on the Packers, the NFC North, and the whole NFC in 2025.

 

[dliverey44]

Shouldn’t we watch Will Campbell play in some games before we declare him a failure.

NOPE. All it takes his arm length and wingspan for us to know the outcome because there are never exceptions (Bernard Raimann, Rashawn Slater don't count).

Said in jest.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Would love to hear your take on the Packers, the NFC North, and the whole NFC in 2025.

North is a tough division. Chi is loaded, their roster is much improved, particularly their Oline. Like every other team, will come down to the QB. If Caleb takes a step Chi could be a playoff team.

Minny, kinda the same thing with QB. How good will McCarthy be. They won 13 or was it 14 games last year with Darnold, JJ should be an upgrade if he plays well, but will he? Again, could be a playoff team with decent QB play.

I kinda expect Detroit to take a slight step back record wise. They are going to the playoffs, but I expect a couple less reg season wins for them this year.

GB. I’m still not sold on Love, and I thought the contract they gave him was a little risky based on what really was one second half of the season stretch of good football for him. I’ve seen him look really good done games with exceptional touch and ball placement, and other games where him and the whole offense looks bad. They have a nice WR room, but no one who is really the guy. Watson has the juice but always hurt. Reed looks great sometimes, others he’s invisible. Is Golden good enough to be a true #1? I could see GB finishing anywhere from 2 to 4th in the North.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

North is a tough division. Chi is loaded, their roster is much improved, particularly their Oline. Like every other team, will come down to the QB. If Caleb takes a step Chi could be a playoff team.

Minny, kinda the same thing with QB. How good will McCarthy be. They won 13 or was it 14 games last year with Darnold, JJ should be an upgrade if he plays well, but will he? Again, could be a playoff team with decent QB play.

I kinda expect Detroit to take a slight step back record wise. They are going to the playoffs, but I expect a couple less reg season wins for them this year.

GB. I’m still not sold on Love, and I thought the contract they gave him was a little risky based on what really was one second half of the season stretch of good football for him. I’ve seen him look really good done games with exceptional touch and ball placement, and other games where him and the whole offense looks bad. They have a nice WR room, but no one who is really the guy. Watson has the juice but always hurt. Reed looks great sometimes, others he’s invisible. Is Golden good enough to be a true #1? I could see GB finishing anywhere from 2 to 4th in the North.

 

[Brick27]

Surely if Alt is drafted last year folks *****ing about OT wouldn’t be *****ing about the QB situation this year if reaching for a Dart or Shough.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

And like him or not, Will Campbell was the best LT in the 2025 draft - so kindof tough to complain about that.

No doubt they wanted to sign a proven LT in the offseason but that didn't work out, and kindof tough to blame Vrabel for no one wanting to play for the Pats at this point. He did what he could at LT - there's just bound to be more work to do on the OL in general.

Vrabel signed Chaisson, Davis, Diggs, Williams, Spillane, Hollins and Landry. What does "no one wanting to play for the Pats at this point" mean?

 

[Grogan14]

And like him or not, Will Campbell was the best LT in the 2025 draft - so kindof tough to complain about that.

No doubt they wanted to sign a proven LT in the offseason but that didn't work out, and kindof tough to blame Vrabel for no one wanting to play for the Pats at this point. He did what he could at LT - there's just bound to be more work to do on the OL in general.

Highly debatable that he was the best LT in the 2025 draft Besides Simmons, there was also Membou.

 

[Ring 6]

Highly debatable that he was the best LT in the 2025 draft Besides Simmons, there was also Membou.

There is no debate he was the consensus #1 LT

 

[goheels22002]

What do the following 14 gentlemen have in common?

Ben Brown
Lester Cotton
Demontrey Jacobs
Michael Jordan
Nick Leverett
Vederian Lowe
Chuka Okorafor
Michael Onwenu
Layden Robinson
Tyrese Robinson
Levitus Smith
Sidy Sow
Cole Strange
Caedan Wallace

The answer is that they are all offensive linemen who, to the best of my research, took snaps during the 2024 Patriots regular season. How many of them belong on an NFL roster?

The constant switching from one inadequate player to the next reminds me of nothing so much as a compulsive gambler who thinks he can bet his way out of debt. Last season's Patriots offensive line coach is now the offensive line coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, so those outside the Patriots don't blame him. But the man who churned all of those players in and out is still in charge of personnel.

That is the sign of a deeply dysfunctional organization. Perhaps Vrabel, McDaniels and Marrone can fix it. For Drake Maye's sake, I hope so.

Injuries do not make players "inadequate." Several of those guys are quite capable offensive linemen. The overall chaos of the last two years on offense - particularly on the coaching staff set a lot of those guys up for failure. Both 2023 and 2024 featured too many 1st time coaches.

Look at the Vrabel coaching staff - several former head NFL coaches, and the only first timers are guys well down the org chart. Even Todd Downing, the receivers' coach is a three-time Offensive Coordinator . Tony Dews, the running backs coach has six years experience as a RB coach with the Jets and Titans. The experience on the offensive coaching staff says that a) Mike Vrabel is a mature coach who values those with greater experience than his own, and b) Drake Maye will have players around him getting excellent coaching on how to do their jobs while he learns how to do his.

 

[goheels22002]

There is no debate he was the consensus #1 LT

Yes there was. Many thought Campbell was a better fit at Guard. I liked Kelvin Banks, Jr. out of Texas at #4 who was a consensus top ten pick at Tackle and judged by many as the most NFL ready blind-side tackle. The Patriots had lots of good options at OT. Doesn't matter right now. You can't swing a dead cat at training camp without hitting an OT.

I trust Doug Marrone to assemble a capable OL from the group at training camp. The two guys who got the raw deal last season were G Layden Robinson and T Caeden Wallace, both of whom had the credentials to be NFL linemen. It's unclear what will become of either of them right now. They are essentially still rookies after last season's OL chaos.

The depth chart has them as backups on the roster, but I don't know about that, particularly once cuts start coming and veterans are available as free agents or practice squad acquisitions. I'd keep an eye on who gets cut by Tampa Bay - that is a deep and very talented OL.

 

[PatsFan2]

I was visiting from another school. I stopped in my tracks and had my mouth open. I don’t think I’d ever see such a big guy.

No wonder his son dwarves other nfl linemen:

And our Brass went to BC to check him out personally: it's a dam shame Chicago Scouted him too.

 

[Ring 6]

Yes there was. Many thought Campbell was a better fit at Guard. I liked Kelvin Banks, Jr. out of Texas at #4 who was a consensus top ten pick at Tackle and judged by many as the most NFL ready blind-side tackle. The Patriots had lots of good options at OT. Doesn't matter right now. You can't swing a dead cat at training camp without hitting an OT.

I trust Doug Marrone to assemble a capable OL from the group at training camp. The two guys who got the raw deal last season were G Layden Robinson and T Caeden Wallace, both of whom had the credentials to be NFL linemen. It's unclear what will become of either of them right now. They are essentially still rookies after last season's OL chaos.

The depth chart has them as backups on the roster, but I don't know about that, particularly once cuts start coming and veterans are available as free agents or practice squad acquisitions. I'd keep an eye on who gets cut by Tampa Bay - that is a deep and very talented OL.

Consensus not unanimous.

 

[PatsFan2]

From a fake Facebook page.

Chase Lundt, a four year starter at RT, has Will Campbell arms, below 33”. That’s why he was taken in the sixth round (206).

Yeah, Landon Jackson has rocked him in TC. He did that to Will Campbell, too.

Hey, that’s Will Campbell’s girlfriend’s brother playing QB for LSU. And he got obliterated.

I hope he’s okay. Maybe Lambeau12 can give him some of his Magic Dragon to puff on.

Yikes! Jackson is in our Division guess he'll grow with Campbell.

 

[Grogan14]

There is no debate he was the consensus #1 LT

Consensus does not equal best
There was debate by experts about who would be the best pro.

 

[Grogan14]

Hate to admit it but Jets have quietly assembled a potentially excellent OL. They have invested heavily with 4 high first round draft picks.
If they gel this year their offense could be greatly improved.
Their OL will likely be much better than pats OL this year, especially if Membou excels.

Pats need to continue to invest high draft capital in OL for next 4 years at least.

 

[Triumph]

Its going to be a paper bag on your head season.

Do it. Take action. Kraft knows our position, but nothing ever changes.

 

[Ring 6]

Consensus does not equal best
There was debate by experts about who would be the best pro.

Huh? There was a consensus that he was the best.

 

[Grogan14]

Huh? There was a consensus that he was the best.

There were plenty of scouts who questioned if he should be OT1 but to your point he was the consendus
Membou and Banks and a healthy Simmons were listed as best prospect on some boards though not a majority