Patriots

Former Patriots captain Deatrich Wise likes what he sees from Will Campbell

"I met him in the run game a little bit, we kind of stalemated, ball went the other way, but great player. I think he has a very high ceiling.”

Deatrich Wise spent the first eight seasons of his career playing for the Patriots. (Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff)

By Conor Ryan

August 6, 2025

2 minutes to read

FOXBOROUGH — After spending the first eight seasons in New England, Deatrich Wise’s job on Wednesday was to make former teammate Drake Maye’s life miserable during joint practices with the Commanders.

It was a task easier said than done, as the former Patriots captain ran into a tough matchup against New England rookie left tackle Will Campbell.

Wise — who signed a one-year deal with Washington in March after closing out an extended run in Foxborough — had plenty of praise for New England’s new offensive lineman.

“Great guy,” Wise said of Campbell. “Really good at using his hands. I would say he does a good job of effort. He told me on the field that he wants to get better and learn, and everything he does, he takes it as a lesson. So kudos to him.”

Both Campbell and Wise had several battles during Wednesday’s practice in Foxborough, including three matchups in 1-on-1 reps that led to a pair of decisive wins for both player — as well as a stalemate.

The first collision course between both players looked as though it was a draw, as Campbell was initially knocked back — but managed to contain Wise’s outright bull rush. On the second attempt, Wise’s attempt at cutting to the inside against the former LSU standout led to Campbell knocking him off balance and dropping him to the turf.

Wise ended the bout on a high note, slipping past the rookie for a clear win before moving on to team drills.

“Very strong guy at the point of attack,” Wise said of Campbell. “I met him in the run game a little bit, we kind of stalemated, ball went the other way, but great player. I think he has a very high ceiling.”

While Campbell’s competitiveness, technique, and physicality have routinely been brought up as strengths in the 2025 first-round pick’s game, there are still several question marks regarding how the offensive lineman will hold up against top NFL competition.

A player like Wise presents an interesting matchup for Campbell, given his explosive speed and lanky frame, headlined by his arm length at 35 ⅝ inches.

How Campbell and his 32 ⅝ inch arms handle themselves at the next level bears watching. But Wise believes that a player can’t be judged on things like measurables — especially weeks before they face real game action during the regular season.

“Humbly speaking, nobody has my length,” Wise said of his arms and whether he presents a tough matchup for someone like Campbell. “But he has really good hands. … I’ve faced tackles who have short arms before, long arms. It’s not about the size of the tackle, but the heart. So he has that.”

Beyond his compliments directed toward Campbell, Wise — alongside Washington teammate and former Patriots regular Jonathan Jones — reflected with fond memories on his extended tenure in New England.

“I’m forever grateful,” Wise Jr. said of the Patriots “Learned a lot here, I always say I got my master’s and my PhD here… But this place was wonderful, from the fans to the ownership to the support staff, even from the grass people to the cafeteria people.

“It’s always cool coming back to a place that you spent so much time, gave so much time, gave your body to a place like this wonderful fan base, wonderful team,” Wise added.