Will Campbell ‘Beat Up On’ By Patriots Edge at Training Camp

The New England Patriots might be getting dangerously close to worrying about their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, left tackle Will Campbell. Or else, they can feel very confident about a new edge-rusher’s ability to dominate.

That ability would be an asset to the team that logged the fewest sacks in the league last season, but it wouldn’t have as much impact as Campbell’s development. Unfortunately, said development is going anything but smoothly at training camp, after Campbell was routinely beaten by K’Lavon Chaisson during practice on Wednesday, July 30.

As MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels detailed, “Chaisson beat up on Will Campbell in the last 11v11 period. He had a least two sacks and another pressure.”

Taken in isolation, these reps don’t need to mean much, especially when Campbell staged a recovery of sorts later in the session. Yet, this wasn’t the only day the former LSU standout looked out of sorts after donning the pads.

Patriots Already Seeking More Consistency from Will Campbell

Training camp is a time to iron out mistakes, but Campbell’s struggles carry weight because of the significance of his role. He’s tasked with being the blindside protector for would-be franchise quarterback Drake Maye, a dual-threat playmaker who can’t be beset with incessant pressure during his second season in the pros.

The Patriots need Campbell to lock down the key spot along their offensive line, but the fourth-overall pick is enduring an erratic time. He was pushed around by Chaisson’s fellow defensive end Keion White, who “put the rookie on the ground twice this morning, including a sweet 1-on-1 pass rush rep where he caught Campbell leaning, used his leverage against him and slung-shot himself past” during Monday’s session, per Daniels’ colleague Chris Mason.

Bouncing back has been typical of Campbell during camp, something he showed by winning this rep against White, highlighted by NBC 10 WJAR anchor Kevin Moore.

More uneven play followed when Campbell rallied to look “sturdier” on Tuesday, before the events of Wednesday. Events including Campbell also being “left blocking air when his LSU teammate Bradyn Swinson swiped his hands and breezed into the backfield,” per NBCS Boston’s Phil Perry.

The miss against Swinson compounded Campbell’s struggles when matched up with Chaisson. Those failings underscored the rookie’s “trouble with inside speed/ spin moves from K’Lavon Chaisson. Something he’ll need to work on,” according to WEEI host Jon Lyons.

Any time Campbell struggles, concern levels will be raised about his short arms, a potential issue a Hall of Famer has downplayed. There’s still time for Campbell to change the narrative, just as Chaisson is changing his own.

Unheralded Patriots Edge Bossing Camp

Chaisson was something of a hidden gem when he signed a $3 million deal in free agency. Not much was expected of a former first-round pick who never played up to his draft status, but the ex-Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders edge has been defying expectations since he arrived at Gillette Stadium.

His performances have increased the pressure on White to finally deliver on his breakout potential, but Chaisson is also staking his own claim to be a chief member of a revamped pass rush. His speed and flexibility can be useful assets in tandem with White’s power and the nuanced game of veteran Harold Landry III.

All three will need to be productive for a defense that took down opposing quarterbacks just 28 times in 2024. Chaisson toying with the Pats’ top pick at this stage of the offseason is a positive sign he can deliver when the games that matter begin.

It’s not such a positive sign about Campbell’s readiness to thrive at arguably the second-most important position in football.