Ex-Falcons defensive lineman Calais Campbell is signing with the Dolphins, per report
The Miami Dolphins are expected to sign defensive lineman Calais Campbell, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The 37-year-old spent last season in Atlanta where he tied for the team lead in sacks with linebacker Bud Dupree.
While the Falcons went in a different direction, Campbell can still play at a high level and offers the kind of versatility that makes defensive coaches salivate. Assuming the reports are true, Campbell will play his 17th NFL season in Miami under head coach Mike McDaniel.
Homecoming: Long-time Pro Bowl DE Calais Campbell, one of the biggest name free agents available, is expected to sign with the #Dolphins, per me and @TomPelissero. Back at home for The U superstar.
The Arizona Cardinals selected Campbell in the second round of the 2008 draft. The veteran lineman spent his first nine seasons in Arizona before taking his talents to Jacksonville for a three-year stint with the Jaguars.
Campbell then spent three seasons in Baltimore before joining the Falcons in 2023. Atlanta selected multiple defensive linemen in the 2024 NFL draft and even traded up to secure Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro in the second round.
Philadelphia Eagles were named the best fit for defensive tackle Calais Campbell by ESPN
The Eagles are stacked along the defensive line, but with Fletcher Cox announcing his retirement, Vic Fangio could use a versatile veteran to help mentor some talented interior defenders.
ESPN recently ranked the best team fit for some of the top remaining free agents, and Calais Campbell was the player of interest for Philadelphia.
A return to Atlanta is a possibility for Campbell if he decides to play another season at age 38. He tied for the team lead in sacks last season with 6.5. But I’m instead looking at the Eagles. Campbell would fit in Vic Fangio’s 30 front as a rotational end, building more depth. At 6-foot-8 and 282 pounds, he can hold the point against the run game when matched up with offensive tackles, and he was a productive player last season for the Falcons, registering 28 pressures. I see Campbell as a total pro who could help multiple NFL squads.
Campbell started all 17 regular season games for Atlanta and contributed to the Falcons’ defensive turnaround. He finished the 2023 season playing at a high level and could replace Fletcher Cox as a viable mentor to Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
Three questions about the Jaguars’ roster following the 2024 NFL draft
After dishing out over $188 million in guarantees to cornerstone edge rusher Josh Allen and a deep free agent class, paired with the additions of nine NFL draft picks and a handful of undrafted prospects, Jacksonville’s roster is shaping up with training camp just under three months away.
But while the Jaguars patched up several holes on their depth chart over the past two months, a few questions remain about the state of the roster as the 2024 season approaches.
Jaguars Wire presents three below.
Different year, similar approach to edge rush in the draft. Will Jacksonville sign a pass rusher before the season?
Sep 19, 2019; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell (93) on the bench during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Despite entering the draft with a need for depth at edge rusher for the second year in a row, Jacksonville walked out of the selection ceremony with only a seventh-round pick devoted to the position.
It was used on Myles Cole from Texas Tech, who offers physical and athletic upside but averaged fewer than one sack per season over six years and 59 games in college.
Last offseason, the Jaguars took Louisville EDGE Yasir Abdullah in the fifth round. The 6-foot-1, 234-pounder appeared in just five games and was a healthy scratch for most of the season.
Jacksonville boasts one of the NFL’s better edge-rushing tandems with Josh Allen now under contract long-term and 2022 No. 1 overall pick, Travon Walker, having reached 10 sacks in his second season in the pros in 2023.
But its depth is largely unproven, consisting of Cole, Abdullah and free agent signee Trevis Gipson, who peaked with seven sacks in his second NFL season in 2022 but has produced four over 25 games since. To limit the damage of a potential injury to Allen or Walker, more help is needed.
The biggest difference between this and last offseason for Jacksonville is the salary cap space it has available post-draft: $27,525,857, according to Over the Cap, compared to $14,035,022 in 2022, per Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union.
To pair, plenty of playable edge rushers remain on the free-agent market.
That group includes but is not limited to Dawuane Smoot, who was with the Jaguars in 2023, Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree (from Atlanta), Yannick Ngakoue (Chicago), Shaq Lawson (Buffalo), Jerry Hughes (Houston), Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara (Detroit), Emmanuel Ogbah (Miami) and Markus Golden (Pittsburgh).
Each of these players was on the field for at least 20% of their former team’s snaps in 2023, per OTC. Campbell, Dupree and Ngakoue each topped 50%.
Did the Jaguars add enough to their offensive line?
Nov 12, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line huddle around quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) before a play during the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
According to Pro Football Focus, Jacksonville ranked No. 21 in the NFL with a regular season pass-blocking grade of 59.6 out of 100 in 2023. Its 40.6 run-blocking grade was the second-worst in the league.
Yet Jacksonville retained its entire line this offseason, allowing only veteran guard Tyler Shatley to hit free agency in March. He ultimately re-signed with the club in April. Guard Ezra Cleveland, a 2023 midseason trade acquisition, and Blake Hance, a versatile backup, inked new deals before the new league year.
The Jaguars so far have opted against the $17.3 million in cap savings they can generate this year by releasing left tackle Cam Robinson, who missed 13 games including the postseason over the last two seasons, due to multiple injuries and a suspension.
Additionally, they restructured guard Brandon Scherff’s contract to guarantee his 2023 salary yet create $12.4 million in cap space.
The only changes Jacksonville made to its offensive line this offseason were two additions of varying degrees.
Veteran center Mitch Morse signed with the team in March, after his release from Buffalo and before free agency, and is likely to replace 2023 starter Luke Fortner. Offensive tackle prospect Javon Foster was one of the franchise’s two fourth-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft last week.
Effectively, the lone adjustment Jacksonville made to its starting blocking corps was Morse’s addition. The unit’s depth was bolstered with Fortner joining the second team and Foster contending for the swing tackle role, but otherwise, the Jaguars’ offensive line will largely look the same in 2024 as last year.
Will it perform better as a relatively continuous and ideally healthier front five? Or should Jacksonville have made further tweaks to the starting lineup this spring? Time will tell.
What does Brian Thomas Jr.’s selection mean for Zay Jones?
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones (7) scores a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Barr (42) during the second quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
Jki 121822 Cowboys Jags Cp 16Jacksonville’s wide receiver room currently consists of a first-round pick and four free-agent signings, two from this offseason and two from years past.
The veterans will combine to account for over $40 million on the Jaguars’ cap table this season. Only one of them has produced a 1,000-yard season in their careers, Christian Kirk, who was on pace for his second in as many seasons with Jacksonville before a year-ending injury in 2023.
Davis and Duvernay were signed this offseason. The former is set to start opposite the rookie, Brian Thomas Jr., and the latter will serve as the team’s return specialist while offering depth offensively.
What will that mean for Jones, who carries a $10.7 million cap hit into the season after appearing in just nine games last year? After a productive 2022 campaign in which he set career-highs of 82 receptions and 823 yards, Jones caught only 34 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.
At best, Jones projects as Jacksonville’s wide receiver No. 4 after the draft, a depth position Duvernay is also qualified to occupy with 24 career offensive starts under his belt. 2023 sixth-round pick Parker Washington, who played in nine games as a rookie, could also be a candidate.
With the potential to sign additional free agents and quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s anticipated mega-contract extension left to be accomplished, it’s fair to wonder if Jacksonville will part ways with Jones in the coming months to create cap space. His post-June 1 release would yield $7,735,294 in cap savings and $3,017,334 in dead cap money in 2024.
A midseason ankle injury slowed Cameron Jordan down in a big way last year. He’s since had surgery, and isn’t expected to miss a day of the Saints’ offseason program:
It’s no secret that Cameron Jordan didn’t look like himself in 2023. He played in all 17 games but only bagged two sacks and three tackles for loss, the lowest totals since his rookie season way back in 2011. The New Orleans Saints defensive end underwent offseason surgery to get right. Both Jordan and his coaches blame his poor production on that midseason ankle injury, but head coach Dennis Allen doesn’t expect him to miss any time in spring training while healing up.
“I don’t think it’s going to be anything that’s going to keep him out of the spring,” Allen told reporters at NFL owners meetings this week. Teams with returning head coaches, like the Saints, are allowed to open their offseason program on April 15.
While he doesn’t anticipate any setbacks from this ankle surgery, Allen did point out that the team plans on lightening Jordan’s offseason work to keep him fresh and rested when the season kicks off in September.
Allen continued: “I do think when you have a guy like Cam who’s getting a little older, how much do we do with him in the spring, how much do we do with him in training camp, I think those are all things that we’ve got to take into account when we’re dealing with a more veteran player.”
Jordan will turn 35 in June, making him one of the oldest players in the NFL along with his teammate Demario Davis. Their only senior among the league’s defenders is Calais Campbell. Left tackle Trent Williams and quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Russell Wilson are the other active players who can say they’re older than Jordan.
It isn’t unusual for the Saints to scale back practice reps for older players to save them for the regular season. They took that approach with Drew Brees in the final years of his career, too. Giving Jordan a day off here or there could pay off.
But the most important thing is recovering fully from this ankle injury. Jordan’s snap counts plummeted after he suffered both lower and higher ankle sprains in his left foot, and he wasn’t able to push the pocket on passing downs because of it. The hope is he can return to health and bounce back.
What complicates things is that both Jordan and the player he figures to split snaps with, Chase Young, are each recovering from surgeries. Any time they miss — and, again, Allen said Jordan should be back soon — is going to disrupt the chemistry in that group at defensive end. Hopefully everyone can heal up and get time in training camp to work together and develop a plan for attacking Week 1 in September.
11 free agents from last year’s Falcons team, including DL Calais Campbell, remain unsigned
The Atlanta Falcons prioritized the quarterback and wide receiver positions early in free agency, leaving many of their own free agents to test the open market.
We’ve seen a few players, including wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and defensive lineman Kentavius Street, brought back on one-year contracts.
Cordarrelle Patterson and Van Jefferson both signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Mack Hollins landed a deal with the Buffalo Bills.
Defensive end Calais Campbell remains unsigned. Here’s a look at each member of last year’s team currently without a contract.
We’re looking at the best available free agent fits for the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the second wave of free agency
The Eagles have undergone significant changes on both sides of the football field, involving player personnel and a retooled coaching staff.
The free agent period and NFL draft are Howie Roseman’s seasons, and the Eagles GM got off to a roaring start after inking running back Saquon Barkley to a three-year deal, signing improving pass rusher Bryce Huff and then bringing versatile defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson back into the fold.
Roseman then added talent to the backup quarterback position, acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Steelers for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks.
These 18 Falcons players will be free agents starting on Wednesday, March 13
The NFL’s 2024 league year begins in a few days and teams have already started trimming their rosters to free up salary cap space. The Atlanta Falcons released tight end Jonnu Smith and re-signed three others, bringing their cap total to roughly $37.2 million.
Any player without a contract on March 13 will become a free agent, although teams can start negotiating contracts on March 11. The Falcons have 18 players set to hit free agency, including defensive lineman Calais Campbell and cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Here’s a rundown of all 18 free agents (each player is labeled as unrestricted (UFA), restricted (RFA), or exclusive rights (ERFA):
The list of free agent defensive linemen available to the Broncos includes Shelby Harris and Calais Campbell.
The Denver Broncos are expected to beef up their defensive line this offseason after struggling to stop the run in 2023.
The most notable interior defensive lineman set to hit free agency this year is Chris Jones, but the Kansas City Chiefs will do everything they can to keep him. Even if KC did let Jones slip away, the Broncos probably wouldn’t be able to afford him.
Below, Denver fans will recognize the names of two budget options in Shelby Harris and Calais Campbell. Harris, of course, played for the Broncos from 2017-2021, and the team hosted him on a free-agent visit last year. Campbell was born and raised in Denver and he nearly signed with the Broncos in 2017.
Check out the full list of notable free agent defensive linemen below.
Taking a look at one pending free agent for the Colts from each NFC team.
With free agency right around the corner, the Indianapolis Colts have the chance to make some key additions to a roster that already has some promise.
Working with some of the most salary-cap space in the NFL this offseason, general manager Chris Ballard and the front office can continue to add pieces to the defensive side of the ball while improving the supporting cast for quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Re-signing some of their own players like Michael Pittman Jr., Grover Stewart and Kenny Moore II will be key. But they also could look around the conference to bring in some outside talent.
We know Ballard isn’t one to make huge splashes in free agency, but they are still going to be an active team even if it means simply adding depth.
Here’s a look at one pending free agent from each NFC team that should interest the Colts:
Reviewing 31 free agents around the NFL – one from each team – that the Seahawks could target to sign in 2024.
The Seahawks’ salary cap picture for 2024 may look ugly right now. After last night’s simple restructure of Geno Smith’s contract they are about even with the league’s cap limit this year. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of room to maneuver. However, general manager John Schneider still has plenty of options to change the team’s cap picture in a hurry.
Fans should probably expect mostly mid-level signings and bargain hunting in free agency, but we can’t completely rule out a splash signing. Here are 31 pending free agents (one from every other team) that Seattle could consider signing when the market opens next month.
We have included a wide range of options, from big-name, big contract targets to under-the-radar type free agents. Our primary focus was on the interior of both sides of the line of scrimmage, but we didn’t ignore interesting players at any spot except for quarterback – where we would prefer to roll with either Geno Smith, Michael Penix Jr. or nobody.
You may see potential replacements for Leonard Williams, Jamal Adams and Tyler Lockett, a few old familiar faces, a whole host of possible upgrades at guard and just about every high-end pass rusher that’s about to hit the market except for Chris Jones and Josh Allen – who will both most likely be out of Seattle’s price range. Let’s get to the list.
