The Mike Vrabel in New England is set to begin when the Patriots welcome old friend Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders to Gillette Stadium.
Unfortunately for Vrabel and the Patriots, they will have to do so without cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The 2023 first-round pick who looked like a legitimate No. 1 cornerback in his sophomore season after an injury-shortened rookie campaign was ruled out earlier in the week. He’s been dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered in July and missed the entire preseason.
The good news for the Patriots is that they will have rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell in the mix. The LSU product, whom New England drafted with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is active to make his NFL debut. There was some question as to whether he’d be able to go after Campbell landed on the injury report this week with an ankle injury. Campbell was limited in practice and carried a questionable tag going into the weekend but will give it a shot.
Here are the full Patriots‘ inactives:
Will Campbell Gets Big Test in NFL Debut for Patriots
Campbell’s debut is one of the most intriguing Patriots Week 1 storylines. All of the questions about his size as an NFL offensive tackle will start to be answered, and he’s got a very difficult first-game assignment. Four-time All Pro Maxx Crosby will give Campbell a mighty test. Injuries affected Crosby’s 2024 season, but he still managed 7.5 sacks and has 34.5 sacks over his last 46 games.
Of course, the Patriots have already committed to a team approach to slowing Crosby. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels undoubtedly will make it part of his gameplan, and second-year quarterback Drake Maye admitted earlier this week part of the onus is on him, too.
“No doubt, I think it starts with me getting the ball out on time,” Maye told reporters, per the Boston Herald. “Not holding it. Knowing don’t bypass the first guy I see open trying to hunt a deeper one. The running backs can help in the protection. I think little things like that, and I think scheme. I think me just getting us in the right plays and knowing when he’s 1-on-1 and knowing when we have help to him.”
Rain Could Be Factor in Foxboro
Weather could be an issue the opener, too. Warm and humid conditions gave way to some damaging thunderstorms Saturday, and the rain lingered into Sunday morning. Forecasts are calling for the rain to continue with some fog and obviously plenty of cloud cover. There’s a chance for thunderstorms until about 3 p.m. ET with showers in the forecast for the entire day.
Today’s showers will shift southeast and help to bring beneficial rain to areas that missed out yesterday. #wcvb
That sets the table for another fascinating matchup with Las Vegas rookie running back Ashton Jeanty making his NFL debut. The No. 6 pick in the draft had a solid preseason and will be the Raiders‘ No. 1 back. The Patriots struggled to stop the run at points in 2024 and for the last few seasons really, and they tried to address that issue in the offseason. New England gave Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams more than $100 million, and the Patriots are also expected to have Christian Barmore back after missing most of last season with blood clots. New England also signed linebackers Harold Landry and Robert Spillane to beef up the front seven. They’ll get tested early against Carroll, who certainly is OK with running the ball a lot, especially in the rain.
Patriots Slight Favorites in Vrabel’s Debut
The Patriots, despite their question marks on both sides of the ball, are 2.5-point favorites over the Raiders at DraftKings Sportsbook. New England opened as a 3-point favorite but action on Las Vegas brought it down under a field goal. Points might be at a premium with total set at 44, the second-lowest of the early-game slate.
Patriots Without Top Defender vs. Raiders But Will Have First-Round Rookie