UPDATE: Campbell was officially ruled OUT
Patriots left tackle Will Campbell left Sunday’s game against the Raiders with a knee injury in the second quarter, and the early read is not encouraging. By video, it appears to be a right knee MCL sprain, an injury Campbell has had similar issues with before, and expects he’ll need a brace and is unlikely to return. The Patriots have not announced a diagnosis but an update will be provided once official.
The concern is that Campbell has been through this before. In Week 12 last season against the Bengals, the rookie fourth-overall pick was carted to the locker room in the third quarter after a knee injury on a TreVeyon Henderson run, with a towel over his head. He was placed on injured reserve with an MCL sprain, missed four games, and returned for the Week 18 finale. As SicScore reported at the time, ProFootballDoc believed it was a high-grade MCL injury that would mean a multi-week absence and a short IR stint. Campbell later revealed that he had torn a ligament in his knee during the season and played through it during the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl, a stretch in which he struggled. Offseason surgery was widely expected, though I didn’t confirm whether it took place.
A repeat injury on the same side raises concerns. MCL sprains range from mild (often two to four weeks) to more significant tears (six to eight weeks or longer), and a knee that has already had ligament damage can be more vulnerable to recurrence, especially for a tackle who absorbs lateral force on every pass rush. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel defended Campbell and said he would remain at left tackle in 2026, so a significant absence would also disrupt the plan to build the line around him.
With Campbell out, the Patriots would turn to Vederian Lowe, who filled in at left tackle last season, or another option on the roster. New England hosts the Jets next Sunday and then plays on a short week at Chicago on Thursday, October 22, so the timeline matters. Watch for the team’s postgame update, MRI results, and whether Campbell is listed as a limited or full participant in practice this week.
