The Will Campbell knee sprain report remains unconfirmed, but Ian Rapoport reports that the New England Patriots left tackle could miss time after leaving the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders with a knee injury. An MRI is pending to help determine the injury’s extent.
Rapoport reported that Campbell is believed to have suffered a knee sprain. If that reported diagnosis is confirmed, Campbell is expected to miss some time, but no absence duration or return date has been reported. Rookie Caleb Lomu replaced him and is expected to fill in at left tackle if Campbell is unavailable.
Will Campbell knee sprain report: what Ian Rapoport said
Campbell exited the Patriots’ win over the Raiders because of a knee injury. Rapoport’s report described a sprain as the believed diagnosis—not a confirmed result—and said an MRI would help determine the extent of the injury.
That distinction matters: the MRI had not yet established the diagnosis in the available report. Until its results are known, the specific injury and its severity remain uncertain.
Rapoport also reported that Campbell is expected “to miss some time” if the sprain diagnosis holds. That is a conditional expectation, not confirmation that Campbell has been ruled out for a particular game or period.
What remains unclear about Campbell’s availability
The pending MRI is the next key update for the Patriots and their starting left tackle. According to Rapoport’s report, it is intended to provide more information about the extent of the possible sprain.
No recovery timetable was included in the report. There is not enough information to project a return date, identify which games Campbell might miss, or say whether he will be available for New England’s next contest.
For now, the most accurate summary is that Rapoport reported Campbell could miss time if the reported diagnosis is confirmed. Any more specific claim about his status would go beyond what has been reported.
Caleb Lomu could cover at left tackle
Lomu took over after Campbell left and is expected to fill in at left tackle if Campbell is sidelined. A rookie and former Utah left tackle, Lomu has experience at the position he may now be asked to play for New England.
The original plan for Lomu, according to the report, was for him to eventually take over at right tackle for veteran Morgan Moses. That longer-term expectation does not mean Moses is injured or that a specific right-tackle change has been confirmed. The immediate reported contingency is Lomu at left tackle in Campbell’s absence.
That would give the Patriots an opportunity to assess how their rookie handles the position in a game setting. But the report does not establish a confirmed starting lineup for an upcoming game; Campbell’s MRI and subsequent status updates will determine whether a change is needed.
Campbell’s previous knee injury and 2026 performance context
Campbell was selected fourth overall out of LSU the previous year. As a rookie, he previously missed time with a Grade 3 MCL sprain. That history gives the latest reported knee issue added context, but it does not establish that the current injury is the same or that Campbell will face a similar recovery.
There was also a positive performance indicator before this week’s injury: Pro Football Focus ranked Campbell as the league’s 14th-best tackle entering the week. That ranking reflects PFF’s assessment at that point in the season; it does not determine the nature or severity of the possible injury.
What the Patriots’ offensive line may face next
If Campbell cannot play, Lomu is the reported option to cover at left tackle. The switch could require New England to adjust its offensive-line arrangements, but the available information does not confirm a broader lineup change or identify who would play each position.
The MRI result will be the key to understanding the situation. Until that update is available, Rapoport’s report that Campbell may have suffered a sprain and could miss time should be treated as conditional and unconfirmed, with no reliable timetable yet for his return.
Ian Rapoport’s report on Campbell’s possible injury and expected availability was cited in Pro Football Rumors’ report on the Patriots left tackle.
