There is one player remaining in the NFL from the Arizona Cardinals’ incredible Super Bowl run during the 2008 season, which feels like an eternity ago.
Calais Campbell, a rookie for that team led by Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, announced he will be returning for his 15th NFL season. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent.
Campbell was with the Cardinals until 2017, where he was not re-signed in free agency and went to Jacksonville, where he helped create the iconic ‘Sacksonville’ defense. He has since become a favorite amongst the Baltimore Ravens, his team the past two seasons.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has spoke highly of Campbell, but with only a few days to go until free agents can negotiate with other teams, the Cardinals will likely be able to make their pitch.
The Cardinals have signed aging defensive lineman and pass rushers before. They did so with Dwight Freeney and Terrell Suggs, both of which were within a year of retirement. Campbell would be a fantastic addition for the locker room, run defense and for public relations. The fans in Glendale always loved Calais.
Two years ago, Campbell signed a two-year, $25 million dollar deal with the Ravens. It would be surprising if he inked the same annual salary this offseason, but his continued high-level play will net him a nice payday.
Rush defense, particularly during the second half of the season, was a crutch for the Cardinals. While Campbell certainly wouldn’t be a long-term solution, he is still a valuable rotational player and is worth double that as a leader.
In his career, Campbell has never played less than 12 games. He has steadily been available for each of his three teams, something the Cardinals would greatly benefit from. When healthy, however, a fully-loaded interior front would feature Campbell, J.J. Watt and Zach Allen. Perhaps the Cardinals would consider adding to that list in the first round of the draft. Keim has long sought his long-term answer at defensive tackle (most recently Derrick Brown in 2020) and having Campbell aboard would do wonders for a rookie.
Campbell is still a good player. He’s beloved by the community. He never wanted to leave the team in 2017, and would fit the model of a leader of men that the front office sought last offseason. What’s not to like?
The Cardinals should absolutely give Campbell a call.
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