Who Is Patriots’ Most Important Player After Drake Maye? Surprising Answer

By this time next week, training camp will be up and running for the New England Patriots.

Captain Obvious will tell you the Patriots’ most important player this season is quarterback Drake Maye. After all, the NFL is a QB-driven league.

New England’s second-year signal-caller carries on his shoulders the weight of a franchise looking for its first playoff appearance in four seasons.

So let’s ask a different question: Who is the second-most important player on the Patriots? CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin provided an answer: rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell, who’s tasked with keeping the pocket clean and Maye upright.

“Drake Maye had one of the NFL’s worst supporting casts last season, and the offensive line was the biggest issue,” Dubin wrote Monday. “The Pats used the No. 4 overall pick on Campbell to be the largest building block in the effort to overhaul it, and if he can solidify the left tackle spot for years to come, that’ll be well worth the investment.”

The 21-year-old Campbell isn’t the only new guy on the Patriots’ offensive line. New England gave former New York Jets tackle Morgan Moses a three-year, $24 million contract in March, putting the 34-year-old in a position to be a mentor.

Moses was one of several Patriots gushing over Campbell during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

“He’s eager to learn,” Moses said last month, per the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price. “He’s a stud who played great in college. Now it’s about fine-tuning and adjusting to the NFL.”

The Patriots hold their first training camp practice at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. in six days.