The 15-year veteran is expected to meet with the New York Jets this upcoming week
After losing Sheldon Rankins and Nathan Shepard to free agency, the New York Jets suddenly have a gaping hole in their interior defensive line. But it seems like Joe Douglas is looking to address that problem.
The Jets are expected to meet with free agent Calais Campbell this upcoming week, per ESPN’s Tiffany Blackmon. Campbell has already met with the Falcons and Jaguars, and he also has Buffalo on his list of visits.
A source told me that Calais Campbell’s visit with the Falcons on Wednesday went really well… also met with the Jags last week and has visits set up with the Jets and Bills this coming week. @929TheGame
— Tiffany Blackmon (@tiffblackmon) March 24, 2023
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Campbell will be 37 years old once the 2023 season starts, but he’s managed to stay productive despite his age.
Last season with the Baltimore Ravens, Campbell recorded 36 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He also ranked 19th out of 110 eligible interior defensive linemen in pass rush win-rate with 13.2%, per PFF (min. 150 pass rush snaps).
With that said, Campbell leaves a lot to be desired as a run-stopper. His 7.1 stop percentage was good for 76th of 140 among IDL (min. 100 snaps), and his average depth of tackle ranked 131st at 3.6 yards.
At this point in his career, Campbell is what he is. He isn’t a run-stuffing presence like Sheldon Rankins, whose stop percentage ranked T-32nd last season. However, Campbell can still get to the quarterback at an above-average rate. He can also provide versatility to a defense, playing both DT and DE throughout his career.
The Jets are in desperate need of an interior defensive lineman behind Quinnen Williams. It’s unlikely the team will slide John Franklin-Myers back inside. While not a permanent fix, Campbell could provide stability at the position for the year.
Campbell signed a two-year $12.5 million deal with the Ravens just one year ago. A contract involving the 2008 second-round pick will likely end up in a similar price range with potential incentives.
I completely disagree with the author’s conclusion. A run stopping DT would improve this team. Another pass rusher is not needed. An old passrusher is certainly not needed. Let other teams who need pass rush pay this player. At some point, a better run stuffing DT than what we have may become available.