The New England Patriots drafted Will Campbell with the expectation that he would become the franchise’s left tackle for years to come. One season into his NFL career, those around him already believe he’s taking a significant step forward.
Training camp praise can sometimes be difficult to separate from offseason optimism. But when multiple veteran teammates who line up against Campbell every day begin highlighting the same improvements, it’s worth paying attention.
Defensive end Dre’Mont Jones has battled Campbell in one-on-one drills throughout camp after facing him as an opponent last season, while veteran guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has spent practices working beside him on the offensive line. Despite seeing Campbell from opposite perspectives, both players have arrived at nearly identical conclusions.
The second-year left tackle looks stronger, more polished and noticeably more advanced than the player they saw a year ago.
Dre’Mont Jones Has Already Seen a Different Will Campbell
Jones has a unique perspective on Campbell’s development.
Before signing with New England this offseason, Jones lined up against Campbell twice in 2025 while playing for the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. Although Campbell missed the Week 16 meeting against Baltimore because of an MCL injury, Jones saw enough during their first matchup to remember the rookie well.
Now, after spending nearly every practice competing against Campbell, Jones says the improvement is obvious.
“Will’s a heck of a player. He’s making me better, and I hope I’m making him better,” Jones told reporters. “Will has definitely gotten better from the last time I played him last year during the game. He’s definitely watched a lot of film and honed in his technique even more. It’s fun to watch, and it’s fun to compete against him every day.”
When asked what stands out most, Jones pointed to several specific changes rather than offering generic training camp praise.
“He’s definitely a lot more stout. He’s not as easy to push back,” Jones said. “Not to say, like, he was easy before. I still had to put in a lot of effort, but he’s definitely come smarter, more patient with his hands. He stays square a lot more.”
Those are exactly the types of technical improvements the Patriots hoped to see entering Campbell’s second NFL season.
The Offseason Work Is Already Paying Off
After rehabbing the torn MCL he suffered late in his rookie season, Campbell headed to Oklahoma this offseason to train with some of the NFL’s best offensive linemen, including Lane Johnson, Tristan Wirfs, Dion Dawkins and Creed Humphrey.
Asked what he gained from those workouts, Campbell emphasized the experience of learning from players who have consistently performed at an elite level.
“Just a ton of knowledge,” Campbell said. “I worked with a lot of guys who have been around a long time and done it at a high level for a long time. So just anything that they could teach me that could help me or, whether that’s football or off the field or just training and just being around them in the same environment.”
That work appears to be translating onto the practice field.
Campbell allowed five sacks, five quarterback hits, 26 pressures and 16 hurries across 782 offensive snaps during his rookie season before suffering the knee injury. Those numbers reflected both the challenges of facing NFL pass rushers for the first time and the expectations that come with protecting a franchise quarterback’s blind side.
Now, teammates say they’re already seeing the next phase of his development.
Patriots Need Campbell’s Year 2 Leap
Jones isn’t the only veteran impressed by Campbell’s growth.
Alijah Vera-Tucker, who has lined up next to Campbell throughout camp after signing with New England this offseason, recently said the young tackle has made his job easier because of how quickly he’s progressing.
“He makes my job really easy,” Vera-Tucker said. “He’s very smart. I can see him making that very big two-year jump.”
That’s exactly what the Patriots need.
With Drake Maye entering his second season and New England looking to build around its young quarterback, Campbell’s development could become one of the biggest storylines of the year. If the former first-round pick continues progressing the way teammates believe he is, the Patriots may have found the long-term answer at one of football’s most important positions.
Jones believes Campbell’s ceiling is exceptionally high.
“Will wants to be one of the greatest. I see it day in and day out in how he works. The sky is the limit for Will.”
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