Calais Campbell: 5 best fits in NFL free agency

Calais Campbell is one of the top free agents on the market this year, and here are the five best team fits for him.

On the heels of another strong season, with eight sacks, 53 total tackles and six pass breakups, defensive lineman Calais Campbell is in line to cash in as a free agent this offseason. Pro Football Focus has ranked Campbell as the fifth-best 2017 free agent right now, citing scheme versatility based on how the Arizona Cardinals deployed him as a 3-4 defensive end.

The first thing that stands out about Campbell is his sheer size, listed at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds. The Cardinals would surely like to re-sign him, but edge rusher Chandler Jones stands out as a better candidate for the franchise tag and Arizona is currently in the bottom half of the league in salary cap space (via Spotrac.com).

Age, as he’ll turn 31 in September, may affect Campbell’s market to some degree. But he has shown no signs of a looming decline, and these five teams stand out as great fits for Campbell as he hits free agency in March.

5. Arizona Cardinals

If a long-term deal can’t be worked out with Jones, the Cardinals could easily shift their focus toward making an effort to keep Campbell. The recent three-year, $31.5 million contract extension ($17.5 million guaranteed) for Seahawks’ defensive end Michael Bennett looks like a starting point for a deal with Campbell, which may be ultimately be a little too rich for Arizona.

But Campbell may want to re-sign with the Cardinals, and effectively keep the band together for the prospect of one more chance at a deep playoff run next season. Campbell has a clear opportunity for a huge contract this offseason, but the Cardinals can’t be totally written off as a landing spot.