Phoenix, Ariz. — Still in the market for defensive line depth, particularly along the interior, the Detroit Lions were among several teams that explored adding free agent Calais Campbell. But on Wednesday morning, the six-time Pro Bowler decided his next NFL home, and it isn’t Detroit.
According to the NFL Network, the 36-year-old Campbell has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons after also receiving interest from Buffalo, Jacksonville and the New York Jets.
Drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft, Campbell has had a stellar career with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and most recently, the Baltimore Ravens. Even with a slight dip in his playing time and production last season, he still managed to log more than 500 defensive snaps, while finishing with 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks. That sack total was more than Detroit’s top-three defensive tackles combined in 2022.
Recognizing the roster need, and potential value of adding a veteran like Campbell to the mix, the Lions reached out, but ultimately couldn’t lure the veteran to Detroit.
“Look, we turn the tape on, man, and I’ll tell you what, you talk about a lot of respect for a big man,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday morning at the league meetings. “Oh, my gosh. I just keep watching it and I’m like, there’s no way he can feel good, that body can not feel good. But it looks like it feels good because he’s just a force to be reckoned with. You put him in a closed end, you’re not running over there. He can rush as a 3-technique, still, on third down. Man, he’s got length, he’s got size, he’s still quick. We’ll see. We’re not the only one who is on him.”
After losing out on Calais Campbell, the Lions can continue to explore the free-agent market, where quality veterans such as Poona Ford, Matt Ioannidis and Shelby Harris linger. Alternatively, the franchise can turn its attention to bolstering its foundation of talent through the draft, where the Lions hold a pair of picks in both the first and second rounds of the April event.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers