Sportsnaut
The New England Patriots are just 48 hours away from kicking off their 2025 season against the Las Vegas Raiders. This opening matchup should tell us if the Patriots have actually improved like most of us think they have.
Unfortunately, though, the Patriots haven’t received the best injury news this week. First, star cornerback Christian Gonzalez didn’t practice all week and was officially ruled out for this game. Then, rookie left tackle Will Campbell was added to the injury report on Thursday for the first time with an ankle injury.
This was the first time Campbell had been on the report, and being on it so close to kickoff is concerning. The team has given the talented rookie a questionable tag heading into the first game, so we likely won’t know if Campbell is playing until Sunday morning.
This is a huge blow as the team is counting on Campbell to immediately be a difference-maker. The offensive line was not good in 2024, as then-rookie quarterback Drake Maye was sacked 30+ times. As a result, four new starters, including Campbell, were added to the unit this offseason. Mike Onwenu, who will start at right guard, is the lone holdover.
If Campbell can’t go against the Raiders, the team could turn to either Vederian Lowe or Marcus Bryant. Lowe is a veteran who started 13 games at left tackle for the Patriots in 2024, while Bryant was a seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft. The team would likely go with Lowe considering his experience at left tackle, even if he didn’t perform well at all in 2024.
The Raiders aren’t the best team to be missing your left tackle against, either. The Raiders have one of the best pass-rushers in the league in Maxx Crosby and have the solid Malcolm Koonce on the opposite side.
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