Patriots place star offensive player on IR with knee injury ahead of stretch run

The New England Patriots conscionable mislaid a cardinal portion of their discourtesy arsenic they caput down the agelong run. 

Head manager Mike Vrabel announced Wednesday the squad placed their prima near tackle, the No. 4 wide prime successful the 2025 NFL Draft, Will Campbell, connected IR with a genu injury. The 21-year-old was carted disconnected the tract during the 3rd 4th of the team’s 26-20 triumph implicit the Cincinnati Bengals connected Sunday. 

Campbell volition beryllium eligible to instrumentality for the team’s Week 18 crippled against the Miami Dolphins. Vederian Lowe is expected to commencement successful his place. 

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Will Campbell (66) of the New England Patriots aft a crippled betwixt the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns astatine Gillette Stadium successful Foxborough, Massachusetts, connected Oct. 26, 2025. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Patriots are 10-2, winners of 9 consecutive games, and beryllium atop the AFC East. They play the Buffalo Bills, who are 2nd successful the AFC East astatine 7-4, successful Week 15, a crippled Campbell volition miss. 

A large crushed for the Patriots’ turnaround – they were 4-13 past play – is the team’s revamped violative line. 

In 2024, the team’s Week 1 violative linemen included Chukwuma Okorafor astatine near tackle, Michael Jordan astatine near guard, David Andrews astatine center, Layden Robinson astatine close guard, and Michael Onwenu astatine close tackle. 

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New England Patriots violative tackle Will Campbell, center, lies connected the tract aft getting injured during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Cincinnati Bengals successful Cincinnati, Ohio, connected Nov. 23, 2025. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)

Over the offseason, the squad made additions to the violative enactment done some the NFL Draft and escaped agency. In 2025, their Week 1 violative enactment was Campbell astatine near tackle, Jared Wilson astatine near guard, Garrett Bradbury astatine center, Onwenu astatine close guard, and Morgan Moses astatine close tackle. 

The remade violative enactment has been captious successful second-year backmost Drake Maye’s ascension into the MVP speech this year. 

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Maye, 23, leads the NFL successful completion percent (71%) and yards (3,130), portion throwing 21 touchdowns and six interceptions successful 12 games. A immense crushed for his spike successful accumulation is improved protection. 

However, not lone could Maye beryllium missing Campbell, but Wilson too. The near defender besides near the team’s triumph implicit the Bengals with an injury. 

It is unclear if Wilson volition beryllium capable to play against the New York Giants (2-10) connected Monday. 

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