Given the way that Patriots rookie Will Campbell had been playing, there isn’t a backup lineman lingering in the league who would have made the team feel all that confident about having to play without him. And while there was decidedly good news about Campbell’s knee injury suffered in Week 12 against the Bengals, the Patriots will be without him for a significant stretch–which means they will need someone who can take over his left-tackle role.
Campbell did not, as was feared, tear his ACL on Sunday. He sprained his MCL, an injury that could keep him out for a long stretch but might allow him to return before the season ends. With the Patriots facing their toughest stretch–the Giants on Monday, followed by a bye week and games against the Bills and Ravens–it’s a bad time to be without Campbell.
It’s also bad that the Patriots’ backup who replaced Campbell on Sunday is one player who fans still closely associate with the mayhem that ruled the team’s offensive line decisions in the two years before Mike Vrabel came aboard: tackle Vederian Lowe, who originally arrived from the Vikings in a trade while Bill Belichick was still coaching.
Patriots Replace Will Campbell With Vederian Lowe
Vrabel was asked on Monday whether Lowe would take over the starting role for Campbell for the Patriots in Week 13, and demurred on the question. The Patriots will also have to replace fellow rookie lineman Jared Wilson, who injured his ankle in Week 12 and could be out for a while, too. Ben Brown took over for him.
“I don’t know if I would have an accurate answer for you right now,” Vrabel said. “You know, probably go through the week of practice. Vederian had a couple good plays. He hasn’t had to go in there for us but I think everybody just has to be ready for their opportunity. And I thought he was, for the most part.
“Some things we want to continue to work on and clean up. Right now, it’s probably a little too soon to figure out what the lineup’s gonna look like.”
GettyMike Vrabel New England Patriots
How Did Vederian Lowe Stick Around So Long?
For the Patriots faithful, Lowe’s name is still attached to the offensive lines of the past two seasons, which ranked 20th in 2023 and 32nd in 2024. There are just 11 players who survived with the Patriots going back to Belichick’s final year, and only four of them are on offense. Remarkably, two are offensive linemen from those wretched units–Mike Onwenu and Lowe. (Pop Douglas and Hunter Henry as well).
There is some lingering PTSD for Pats fans who watched Lowe struggle as a fill-in over the past two seasons. He started eight games in 2023, and rated a PFF grade of 41.7, which was 131st out of 137 tackles in the league. Lowe started 13 games in 2024, and his grade was 54.0, which was No. 101 out of 140.
Patriots Lacking Other Options
Lowe is not great. But given the way Vrabel has aggressively purged players from the Belichick/Mayo era, the fact that he has survived with the Patriots raises the possibility that there is enough talent there that perhaps Doug Marrone–one of the top line coaches in the NFL–can get more from him than was previously seen.
There are not a lot of other options on the roster. The Patriots have rookie seventh-rounder Marcus Bryant, who had some good moments in training camp, on hand and it’s possible he could get a crack at the job.
But Lowe said he feels ready as the proverbial next man behind Campbell.
“It’s really next man mentality, next man up,” Lowe said. “I’m ready to go. Go in there, produce and do my job. That’s what coach says each and every week, prepare like you’re a starter, no matter what your role is. Everyone has a role, and you always have to prepare to play. Seeing that, I really feel for Will. He works really hard. He grinds. He’s a great player. I have to be ready to go in there and perform.”
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