In the 2026 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots continued their investment in the offensive line, trading up to pick No. 28 to select Caleb Lomu. After selecting Will Campbell fourth overall in 2025, the decision marked the first time since 1991 and 1992 that New England drafted an O-lineman in the first round in consecutive years.
However, the immediate expectations of both picks are much different. Campbell quickly slotted in as the starting left tackle and held that role through his rookie season.
Meanwhile, Lomu is expected to start in a developmental role, with Campbell entrenched on the left side and veteran Morgan Moses currently solidified at right tackle.
The rookie will likely have to wait an entire season for a full-time starting opportunity, but Lomu’s still projected to fill an important role along New England’s offensive line in 2026 as the team’s swing tackle. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel recently voiced confidence in the rookie’s versatile skill set to handle multiple spots up front.
Swing tackle
“Where [Lomu] plays, we want to end up with the five best linemen,” Vrabel said before Wednesday’s OTA practice. “I think he’s going to have the ability to play both sides … We’re going to have to have five good ones that can protect Drake [Maye], as well as a swing tackle.”
Lomu, who started 24 games in college on the left side, repped at right tackle, rotating behind Moses with the top offensive line unit during Wednesday’s practice. The rookie played all of his snaps at that spot.
In the NFL, playoff teams have an increasingly important need for a reliable swing tackle, especially during multi-week stretches where a starter is unavailable.
New England is no stranger to that need, having to shuffle between 21 different starting offensive line combinations between the 2024 and 2023 seasons; the Patriots totaled just eight wins during that time, although a variety of factors played a role in those teams’ shortcomings.
Even last season, former offensive tackle Vederian Lowe had to start four games in place of an injured Will Campbell during the latter half of 2025.
In addition to practicing at right tackle this past week, Lomu primarily worked on the left side during rookie minicamp. As of now, it’s unclear which side he will focus on practicing at during the summer.
“Some of the techniques are different, and I think he’s really embraced those,” Vrabel said. “He’s been an unbelievably coachable player. He’s young, he’s big, he’s athletic, and he’s willing to learn … I’m excited about where he’s at. Where he’s eventually going to be, I don’t think I can answer that right now.”
It’s also not often that teams have both of their Week One starting offensive tackles play every game of a season. The New York Jets were the only franchise in the league last year to have both of their top tackles start all 17 games.
If Lomu earns a role as the team’s swing tackle next season, two primary factors may allow the rookie the opportunity to make a winning impact.
Morgan Moses’ age
Next season, Morgan Moses will be 35 years old and playing his 13th season in the NFL. Even though he received veteran’s rest throughout last season and during training camp last summer, the veteran started every game for New England. Moses is an ironman in the league and has only missed seven games since 2015.
But with that being said, six of those absences came during the 2024 and 2023 seasons with the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens.
There’s no guarantee that Moses starts in 2026 simply because of his age; an issue some aging veterans face is realizing that they’ve lost a step physically when the pads come on in August.
Looking back at Patriots history, Rob Ninkovich, who was 33 at the time, retired just days into training camp in 2017. Furthermore, James White, who was 30, retired on August 11 in 2022, after being unable to return from a hip injury the season prior.
There’s no current indication Moses is going to run into that problem, but the veteran may need to miss some time for rest at some point during the regular season. Vrabel and Co. need to be prepared for that possibility, and luckily for New England brass, Lomu (hypothetically) would be available.
Will Campbell’s health
As previously mentioned, Campbell missed four games late in the 2025 season after suffering an MCL tear during Week 12. When the rookie returned, his play regressed in the playoffs, and he didn’t appear to be fully recovered.
Before the injury, Campbell posted a 76.1 pass-blocking grade in those 12 games, but that number dropped to a whopping 39.2 grade after the injury. He also allowed a 17.2% pressure rate in the Wild Card Round against the Los Angeles Chargers and a 26.4% pressure rate in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.
Campbell’s injury is a reminder of how quickly in a season teams can be forced to test their depth. For a Patriots team with playoff aspirations, the insurance of an effective swing tackle could be invaluable, especially late in the season.
Unlike many backup tackles, Lomu is entering the league with the draft pedigree of a potential long-term starter, possibly giving New England a higher ceiling at the swing tackle spot than in recent years.
If injuries strike or age begins to catch up with Moses, Lomu could play meaningful snaps sooner than expected.
