New England Patriots left tackle Will Campbell avoided a major knee injury on Sunday. This was reported by The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero on Tuesday afternoon. He is considered week-to-week.
Campbell suffered the injury in Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. A Raiders player rolled into his right leg at the end of a running play. The injury happened in the second quarter and took place just three plays after Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson was also injured.
Now, it appears that Campbell will also be a little bit banged up.
Patriots LT Will Campbell avoided a major knee injury Sunday, tests confirmed. He’s considered week-to-week.
Will Campbell News Positive For Patriots
This is certainly a positive injury update, especially given Campbell’s history. The injury he suffered on Sunday happened on the same knee where he suffered a severe MCL tear against the Cincinnati Bengals last November. The previous injury history certainly made Sunday’s initial injury very scary.
On top of this, the second-year lineman is the blindside protector to quarterback Drake Maye. Losing Campbell for an entire year would be a worst-case scenario for the quarterback as well. Keeping Campbell in the fold on the offensive line, especially given that he is a franchise cornerstone, is extremely important.
Patriots Offensive Line Has Been Injury-Riddled
The Patriots’ offensive line has been heavily injury-riddled to start the season. Starting offensive linemen have missed a combined total of five games due to injuries. Mike Onwenu has missed three games. The starting right guard fractured his ankle against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second week of the season. His backup, Greg Van Roten, has also missed two games after tearing his thigh muscle in the second quarter.
There has been help for the Patriots at the right guard spot despite these injuries. Ben Brown has stepped up at the right guard spot and has been able to play decently. His best game to this point has come against the Buffalo Bills. He had a 61.4 pass-blocking grade, serving in an emergency role with the Patriots reeling from injuries.
Brown struggled against the Raiders on Sunday. He received a 46.8 overall offensive grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance in the game. Nevertheless, he held up just enough to help the Patriots put together 45 points.
This is certainly a better prognosis for the Patriots than initially feared. This is something worth monitoring, and it may be worth monitoring throughout the course of the next couple of weeks. The organization certainly has to find the fine line between playing Campbell, and not risking further injury. That is a tough tightrope to walk. The Patriots will need to figure that part out, especially as the schedule, and defensive lines get tougher over the course of the next couple weeks.
Patriots Avoid Worst-Case Scenario With Key Lineman: Report