Ex-Patriots coach Dante Scarnecchia isn’t panicking over Will Campbell’s play

New England Patriots

“I’m putting him right back where he was.”

Will Campbell had a Super Bowl to forget on Sunday.

The rookie left tackle labored all day against the Seahawks stout defensive front, with Next Gen Stats tabbing Campbell for a whopping 14 pressures allowed. 

New England’s offensive line played a key role in the Patriots’ offensive woes at Levi’s Stadium, with Drake Maye sacked six times and hit on another 11 plays in New England’s eventual 29-13 loss. 

Campbell’s struggles in particular raised a few eyebrows, as he was also a liability during New England’s postseason victories against the Chargers and Texans before bouncing back in the AFC title game against the Broncos.

In the aftermath of New England’s season-ending loss, there has been plenty of discourse over Campbell’s long-term role in New England and whether or not the fourth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is better suited to be a left guard moving forward.

Count former Patriots offensive-line coach Dante Scarnecchia among those who believe that the jury is still out for a 22-year-old player like Campbell. 

“I’ll tell you what. I’m not firing this guy,” Scarnecchia told MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “I’m putting him right back where he was.”

Despite Campbell’s poor end to the season, Scarnecchia noted that Campbell had largely lived up to the billing as a stout rookie left tackle for a majority of the 2025 season before an MCL injury hindered his play.

He missed four games at the end of the season due to that knee injury, noting after New England’s season wrapped that he was not feeling 100 percent during the playoffs. 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mike Vrabel confirmed that the Patriots don’t intend to move Campbell off tackle in 2026. 

“Will’s 22 years old, he’s our left tackle,” Vrabel said. “He’ll get better, he’ll get stronger. … There’s plays he’d like to have back. We’re not moving Will to guard, or center, or to tight end, or anywhere else.”

As Campbell looks to right the ship, Scarnecchia voiced support in Vrabel’s decision to stand behind his rookie in hopes that he can put his Super Bowl performance in the rearview mirror. 

“What I like that’s come out so far is that Mike is of the mentality we’re not moving him,” Scarnecchia told Guregian. “We’re keeping him [at left tackle]. We liked him coming out. And we’re going to do everything we can to see why this guy’s production and ability lessoned in the last four games, as opposed to the first 12 games. That’s what you do as coaches.” 

As Campbell now gets ready for his second season in the NFL, he has already received an offer from former All-Pro tackle Terron Armstead to work out together during the offseason. 

“Terron Armstead, who was a Pro Bowl left tackle for many, many years, gave me this review. It has nothing to do with his arm length,” NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe said. “It was his set, he’s having issues with power, his timing with the punches. He actually volunteered to have Will Campbell work out with him in Dallas this summer.

“He believes the issues are fixable as far as those particular power issues. He said a lot of times he’s walking backwards and not necessarily set as the defensive lineman comes about him. He thinks that’s just time that you need, rep wise, and he can certainly still be a good tackle in this league.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.