The New England Patriots knew they had to address their paltry offensive line heading into the offseason, so they did just that by making notable veteran additions in free agency and selecting Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft.

Campbell was widely viewed as the best offensive lineman in his draft class, but the LSU product did not come without questions.

Most notably, some wondered if Campbell, who will be playing left tackle for the Patriots, is best suited as a guard due to his short arms, and Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus is already wondering if New England needs to think about replacing him next year.

“I am a believer in Will Campbell at offensive tackle, but a contingency plan should be in place if he does not pan out at the position, following months of debate about whether he belongs on the interior due to his arm length,” Sikkema wrote. “With Drake Maye on a rookie contract, the Patriots need to waste as little time as possible building the team around him, especially on the offensive line. They might need to be prepared to address tackle early again if Campbell looks like he’s best at guard in the NFL.”

To be fair, Sikkema’s piece was specifically centered around what each NFL team may need heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, but the fact that Campbell is already being placed on notice in this matter is certainly jarring.

Campbell is definitely a talented physical specimen, and coach Mike Vrabel became enamored with the 21-year-old during pre-draft workouts.

Realistically speaking, Campbell can’t be any worse than what the Pats fielded at left tackle in 2024, but if it becomes clear during his rookie campaign that he cannot be a franchise player at the position, the Patriots may very well have to consider alternatives.