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5 tackles who could replace Patriots rookie Will Campbell
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- 5 tackles who could replace Patriots rookie Will Campbell
The Patriots are going to move forward without starting left tackle Will Campbell .
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported that Campbell “is expected to miss at least four weeks with a knee injury and will most likely land on the injured reserve.” This means the Patriots will at least face the New York Giants , Buffalo Bills , Baltimore Ravens , and New York Jets without Drake Maye ’s blindside protector.
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If all goes well, Campbell could return for the regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins or the team’s hopeful playoff run.
The question now is how the Patriots will replace Campbell, who has given the Patriots a stabilized presence at a critical position.
In Cincinnati, the Patriots played Vederian Lowe at left tackle after Campbell was carted off the field. However, on Monday, when asked if the team would stick with Lowe or give rookie Marcus Bryant a try at left tackle, Mike Vrabel was noncommittal.
“I don’t know if I would have an accurate answer for you right now,” Vrabel said. “Just where we’re at, we’ll probably go through the week of practice. I thought Vederian had a couple good plays. And, again, 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’ll have to continue to work on and clean up, but right now it’s probably a little too soon to figure out what the lineup’s going to look like.”
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This is an important decision for Vrabel to make, and the Patriots have options.
Here’s a look at the team’s depth at tackle on their 53-man roster and practice squad:
Vederian Lowe
Lowe is the most experienced option in New England . It’s why he made the team’s 53-man roster and why he’s been one of the top backup tackles for the Patriots this season. Lowe has played 1,111 snaps at left tackle in the NFL. He’s also played 239 snaps at right tackle. Lowe has started 21 games in the NFL. Last season, he started 13 at left tackle. The results were mixed, which is why the Patriots drafted Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick.
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Marcus Bryant
Bryant was one of the biggest surprises this offseason. A seventh-round pick, the rookie looked like one of the Patriots’ top backup tackles in training camp. That’s why he earned a roster spot. This season, Bryant has been the Patriots’ top backup right tackle behind Morgan Moses . He’s played 18 snaps at the position. In college, however, Bryant was a left tackle. He played 2,451 snaps on that side for Missouri and SMU. At 6-foot-8, 318 pounds, Bryant has great size for the position.
Thayer Munford Jr.
This week, the Patriots signed Munford to their active roster off the Cleveland Browns practice squad. He rejoins the team after starting this season on the Patriots practice squad. An experienced tackle, Munford has started 18 games in the NFL. Although most of his experience comes at right tackle (688 snaps), he has played 245 snaps at left tackle in the league. In 2023, he started at both positions for the Las Vegas Raiders , making six starts at right tackle and four at left tackle.
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Sebastian Gutierrez
Gutierrez is a member of the Patriots practice squad. He made his NFL debut in 2022, playing in one game, only on special teams, for the Las Vegas Raiders. Last season, he made his NFL debut on offense, playing three snaps at right tackle for the San Francisco 49ers . The 6-foot-6, 308-pounder has been a journeyman in the NFL, appearing on offseason or practice squad rosters for Denver (2022), Patriots (2022), Raiders (2022, 2023), Kansas City (2023), Cleveland (2024, 2025), Indianapolis (2024), and San Francisco (2024).
Caedan Wallace
The Patriots drafted Wallace in the third round in 2024 to be one of their tackles in the future. Last season, the rookie started two games and played in six. He made his first start at left tackle against the New York Jets, allowing a sack and a quarterback hit. Wallace finished the season making a start at right tackle against Buffalo. This offseason, however, the Patriots moved Wallace to left guard and played 59 snaps in two preseason games. Wallace is on the 53-man roster, but has been a healthy scratch all season.
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