The New England Patriots lost a key member of the offense to a scary injury during Sunday's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals when first-round pick Will Campbell was forced to leave the game after injuring his knee and did not return to the field.
Before any conclusions are drawn regarding how much time Campbell will miss, the offensive lineman will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. While we wait for those results to come in, one thing has already been decided. Campbell will not take the field with his teammates for their Week 13 tilt against the New York Giants.
While the MRI results will be the key indicator here, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel should already be thinking about the difficult decision he will be forced to make regarding the player who is expected to be the cornerstone of the franchise's offensive line for years to come.
Pats Must Weigh Decision of Division Title Race and Campbell's Future
Until the MRI comes back, we won't know for certain exactly what we're dealing with. That doesn't change the fact that the Patriots have work to do if they want to hold off the Buffalo Bills and clinch the division title.
Just how important is that achievement to Vrabel? His decision will be quite telling as the short-term and long-term views of this injury point to two very different paths for New England to consider.
It goes without saying that having Campbell in the lineup and blocking for Drake Maye not only helps protect the quarterback but also assists in opening up lanes for the rushing attack. With New England having its bye week following their showdown with the Giants this coming Sunday, the Patriots could roll the dice and throw Campbell out there in Week 15 against the Bills and hope for the best. A hobbled Campbell, as he has performed at a Pro Bowl level as a rookie, is likely still a better option than his primary backup, Vederian Lowe, as indicated by the next man up's Pro Football Focus grade of 35.9.
On the other side of the coin, the long-term approach should be an easy decision. Place Campbell on the IR, allow him to heal as much as he can over the next four weeks, then enter the playoffs facing whatever path to the Super Bowl they wind up earning. Maye and Campbell are going to be the foundation of this offense for years to come, putting that at risk for a division title that doesn't even guarantee New England a bye to start the postseason is a hefty decision for Vrabel and company to make.
The fan base will almost certainly be split on what the appropriate course of action moving forward should be. The hope has to be that whatever Vrabel elects to do with the rookie first-round pick is the right decision.