Sportsnaut
New England Patriots first-round pick Will Campbell made his NFL preseason debut versus the Washington Commanders on Friday, and the young left tackle performed well in limited action.
Campbell played 14 snaps on Friday, surrendering zero sacks and zero quarterback pressures, though he did play a role in allowing a Drake Maye sack and fumble.
However, Campbell’s biggest impact came in the run game, as the LSU product made a few impactful blocks to open up rushing lanes for running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson.
Though Campbell showed a ton of promise in his NFL debut, the rookie offensive tackle wasn’t satisfied with his play.
“I just feel like I gotta get better,” Campbell said of his performance against Washington during a press conference on Sunday via Tom Carroll of WEEI 93.7 FM. “We have to get better as a team. There’s still a lot of meat left on the bone. No matter what really happened on the scoreboard, I feel like this team – we even have a lot more that we can do…”
It’s great to hear that Campbell isn’t getting complacent after posting a fantastic debut. The 21-year-old is expected to be New England’s long-term answer at left tackle and eventually provide All-Pro level play at the position.
The Patriots will get on the road for the first time this year, as the team will travel to Minnesota for a joint practice and preseason matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. It will be another excellent opportunity for Campbell to get valuable reps ahead of his rookie campaign in 2025.
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