Drake Maye’s blindside could depend on a rare bet: Mike Vrabel’s trust in two rookie linemen
Only one team has started rookies at left tackle and left guard over the last 25 years. Will the Patriots be next?
Around this time last year, one of the biggest questions coming out of Patriots training camp was whether or not New England could trust its offensive line enough to play then-rookie quarterback Drake Maye right away.
This year, the conversation is much different. Maye, with a year of NFL experience under his belt, is the unquestioned starter. The new coaching staff, led by Mike Vrabel, is trusting a pair of rookies to protect his blindside.
There’s no surprise that No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell has been penciled in at left-tackle right away. Top-5 picks are supposed to come in and contribute immediately, and they had a huge hole at his position heading into the draft.
Campbell is off to a fast start. He was the highest-graded first-round rookie during Week 1 of the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus. His results in practice have been more of a mixed bag, but his athleticism and eagerness to finish blocks showed during the win against Washington.
“I think it’s very important, not just for me. That’s something that we preach for the whole team,” Campbell said. “We want to set the tone the way that we play. I wasn’t the only guy out there doing that, finishing, flying around, and I feel like that showed. We’re going to keep building. It’s a good block to start on.”
Next to Campbell, at left-guard, the Patriots seem to be increasingly confident in third-round pick Jared Wilson. Cole Strange entered camp as the starter, but Wilson has consistently practiced with the top offensive line group at that spot recently.
“I certainly did see their play demeanor kind of stand out,” coach Mike Vrabel said of the rookies’ performance following Friday’s game. “I think that’s a good place to start, is with that. Being downfield, finishing through the whistle and everything, we embrace that here.”
Starting two rookies next to each other on the left side of the line is a rare occurrence in the NFL. According to ESPN, it has happened once in the last 25 years, in 2016 when the Ravens paired Ronnie Stanley and Alex Lewis together.
If the Patriots are going to pull it off this year, it’s going to take a lot of patience from the coaching staff. But, if it works out, the Patriots will get a head start on building a young, athletic offensive line core to protect Maye.
“I think the way they work every day certainly is where it starts, and their performance,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “They’ve earned that right. This isn’t something where someone said ‘we’re going to do that’ without watching them in practice and evaluating what’s best for the team. Certainly Mike [Vrabel] makes those decisions and we’re all there to try to support the guys that are in there and try to improve their skill-set each day. I think they’ve performed admirably.”
Rookie mistakes are going to happen. They’re part of the game. The risk intensifies with two rookies starting up front instead of one. But, it’s something that offensive coordinator McDaniels seems willing to stomach.
“There’s going to be some things they’re going to learn throughout the course of every game and every practice and our job is to help them improve. That’s what we’re going to do,” McDaniels said. “We’re not going to get frustrated with a mistake here or there. We’re going to make sure we do everything we can to help them get better. Those guys have made progress steadily throughout the course of their time here.”
Both Vrabel and Campbell spoke about the pass-rush game that Washington ran on the rookies that led to Maye losing a fumble. It looked like more of a mental error than either one being overmatched, with one defensive lineman slipping past Wilson and Campbell unable to see it quickly enough to help. Campbell and the coach said it’s nothing that time in the film room won’t fix.
“I think there was a game, maybe a pass-rush game, that looked like to me, and those are some things that we’ll continue to work hard on,” Vrabel said. “We were able to pick ’em up in the practice. They ran a few of ’em over there against us in practice. We just have to be able to carry that execution into the game.”
The Patriots are establishing a new, young core that they hope will help them rise from the depths of NFL mediocrity. After back-to-back 4-13 seasons, the Patriots are tired of losing, Maye said. Getting started up front with the big guys is going to be a key piece of that.
“We just talk about how fun it’s going to be, two rookies, next to each other, left guard and left tackle, on the blindside,” Wilson said. “We know it’s going to be a challenge every day. Teams are going to bring their best on us.”
Fellow rookie Kyle Williams said seeing Campbell and Wilson get a shot to prove themselves right away inspires him to work even harder.
The linemen help the skill-position players “eat,” the young receiver said. The goal is to feast in Foxborough for a long time.
“They’re not shying away from anything,” Williams said. “They want all the smoke. Those guys are really relentless and smart.”
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