FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Campbell's truth: To prepare for his second NFL season, Patriots starting left tackle Will Campbell leaned into the advice of veteran Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson.
"Lane told me, 'You have to be very honest with yourself about the season,'" Campbell told ESPN.
"I felt like before I got hurt [Nov. 23], I was playing some solid ball. And after that, I didn't play the way I needed to play. So just learning from it, fixing it. After the season, I was just worried about getting healthy, building my strength back to where I knew it needed to be and coming into [spring practices] ready to go, trying to do everything I can to put myself in the best position possible to help the team."
Since the Patriots' loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, and perhaps even before that, there hasn't been a more scrutinized New England player than Campbell, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft.
Some wondered if the Patriots would consider moving him to guard, especially after selecting Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu in the first round (No. 28 selection). But Campbell has remained a fixture as quarterback Drake Maye's blindside protector through 20 training camp practices as he's fully recovered from tearing a ligament in his right knee in late November.
Will Campbell is planning on an improved Year 2. Eric Canha-Imagn Images A key part of his preparation for the 2026 season was spending a week with Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins and Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey. They were joined by a former Navy SEAL, a former champion in the "World's Strongest Man" competition and celebrity chef Robert Irvine (a close confidant of Johnson).
In 2025, Dawkins (95.9%) and Wirfs (95.5%) were the top- and third-ranked tackles, respectively, in pass block win rate. Humphrey led all centers in the metric (98.5%).
"[Lane] reached out to me about coming out there; I was super grateful to be able to be around him, Tristan and Dion -- those guys were all super nice to me and welcoming," Campbell said.
"They've played a lot of football at a high level. Lane and Tristan have both won Super Bowls, so they have everything a young, aspiring tackle in this league wants by the time they're that age. It was not only being able to hang out, but seeing how they work, and just to get in there and compete and soak up anything I can from them."