This past week, Calais Campbell returned for a visit to his old team’s facilities. Apparently, nothing has come to fruition as of this writing, as there have been reports Campbell will be visiting with other NFL teams this week including the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. It is surprising that a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars was not reached, because if Calais Campbell ever wants to win a Super Bowl Championship and pad his case for Canton, then Jacksonville is where he needs to be.
Why Calais Campbell Must Be Brought Back to the Jaguars
A second-round pick (50th overall), of the Arizona Cardinals, out of the University of Miami (FL) in 2008, Campbell has put together a Hall of Fame-worthy career. At 36 years old, some would argue his best years are behind him, and maybe that is true, but then again, if you look at the numbers, maybe not.
Why the Jaguars Should Bring Him Back
Durability
In a 15-year career, spanning three teams (Cardinals, Jaguars, and Baltimore Ravens), Campbell has been durable missing only about 6% of regular season games (227/242), in his career.
Given he did not start any games his first year in the league, but did appear in all of the Cardinals regular season games and four postseason games as the Cardinals went to the Super Bowl his rookie year, losing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Some will point out, after five straight seasons of not missing a game (2015-2019), Campbell has missed a total of nine games over the past three seasons. That is three on average which does not seem bad, considering he does not have to start every game for the Jaguars. Yes, his career is nearing its end, however, in a role-player position, Campbell still has a lot of good quality football left in him.
Versatility
His first season in Jacksonville showed how versatile Campbell can be as a player, as Jacksonville moved him from an interior lineman position to defensive end. In that first season with Jacksonville, Campbell responded by posting a still-held franchise record for sacks in a season (14.5) and also set the still-standing single-game franchise sack record with four. He was named All-Pro (First Team), chosen to the Pro Bowl, was the AFC Defensive player of the week (Week 1), and was named Defensive Player of the Year by one organization. Most important of all, that same season he helped lead the Jaguars to within a game of the Super Bowl, eventually losing to the New England Patriots, 24-20.
Campbell went on to play two more productive seasons for the Jaguars (Never missing a game), before being traded to the Ravens in 2020, in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Despite a significant drop in numbers for the Ravens in both 2020 and 2021, in which Campbell totaled 5.5 sacks, he had somewhat of a bounce-back year, last season matching his sack total for 2020 and 2021, combined (5.5). The Jaguars are in desperate need of bolstering their defense. They are in need of an edge rusher and interior linemen. With some good football still left in him, the Jaguars need to bring him back as he can be used at both positions, even if it is just as a role player.
Affordability
The last contract extension Campbell signed with the Ravens was for 12.5 million for two seasons, before they released him on March 13, of this year. While the Jaguars have very little cap space, (just a little over 5 Million dollars), why not sign him to a one-year deal, which is essentially close to what he would be making had the Ravens not cut him this year, anyway?
Leadership
Campbell is a proven leader. He has been a captain, and he was the 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner for his charitable work, while with the Ravens. He has been to the “Promised Land”, the Super Bowl, in which the Jaguars are a few defensive personnel moves away from getting to, and winning. And he is a leader that could have a positive impact on a still, somewhat young Jacksonville locker room.
Why Calais Campbell Should Want to Come Back
Glory Days
Campbell should wax nostalgic about what he did in Jacksonville, especially his first season.
Sometimes it is nice to “come home again”, especially for older athletes nearing the end of their careers. If he can accept the fact that he may not be a starter but can still contribute a tremendous amount in a role position, he should want to come back to get the ring he missed out on getting in 2008 and came within a touchdown of getting the chance to play for again in 2017.
Florida Ties and Hot Weather
While Campbell did not play high school football in one of, if not the biggest hotbeds for football in the country, he did attend “The U” for 4 years, being named First Team All ACC, in 2006. He spent three seasons in Jacksonville. In his first twelve seasons in the league, he played in two of the NFL’s warmest climates (Arizona and Jacksonville) and only missed six games over those 12 seasons, not including the playoffs.
Since being traded from Jacksonville to Baltimore, he missed nine games in his three seasons with the Ravens. Did the colder climate have an impact? It would not be irrational to think that the colder climate has negatively impacted Campbell’s stats and durability. Which begs the question, why near the end of his career, where he could be practicing and playing eight games at home in Jacksonville (they have nine home games this season, but one will be played in London), would he want to go to an even colder climate in Buffalo or New York?
He is Needed
As people get older, they sometimes feel as though they are not needed or are not serving a purpose, and it really is not any different with professional athletes as they age.
The Jaguars need Calais Campbell to serve important roles on this team. Campbell should realize he is lucky that he has enough football talent left, that a team who can and desperately needs him to win a Super Bowl, still desires his services. He should take this opportunity to be a role player and the opportunity to leave an impression on younger players and leave a legacy not just with the Jaguars, but on the NFL as a whole.
A Super Bowl Winning-Coach
Granted, the last time Campbell played for a Super Bowl-winning coach, in John Harbaugh, he did not win a Super Bowl. That does not mean the same thing will happen again if he were to sign with the Jaguars.
The likelihood of a coach who has won a Super Bowl winning more of them increases (See Bill Belichick), when compared to coaches who have never even been to a Super Bowl. Doug Pederson has won a Super Bowl. Sean McDermott has not been to a Super Bowl. Robert Saleh is in his coaching infancy (and this bald writer is not saying that because Saleh too resembles a baby), and has really not had the opportunity as a head coach to get to the Super Bowl. Again, why would Campbell want to play for a coach who has never been to a Super Bowl, when one who has won the Super Bowl is available?
In Conclusion
The Jaguars need Calais Campbell as much as Calais Campbell needs the Jaguars. The Jaguars need Campbell to play an integral role in helping them win a Super Bowl, and Campbell needs the Jaguars if he wants to win a Super Bowl and if he wants to make a case for enshrinement in Canton, one day.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
