Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell has signed a 1 year deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday to bolster the team’s depth.
Campbell will be competing in his 19th NFL season as he returns to Baltimore where he played between 2020-2022. The 39 year old was named to one of his 6 Pro Bowls during 2020 as a member of the Ravens, and helps reinforce one of the team’s thinnest positions following the draft.
Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is currently recovering from neck surgery, leaving significant questions about his future up in the air. Beyond him, only Travis Jones, John Jenkins, and CJ Okoye took 100 snaps or more last season amongst the team’s defensive linemen.
That lack of experience at the position made many assume that the team could be targeting some rookies on draft day to reinforce the depth in the trenches. While the team did select EDGE rusher Zion Young in the 2nd round, and DT Rayshaun Benny in the 7th, the former figures to play more of an outside linebacker role, while the latter will be a long shot to make the team’s final roster.
One thing Campbell certainly isn’t lacking is experience. A veteran of over 278 NFL games, if the former Miami Hurricane stays healthy this year, he could move up to 16th all-time on the NFL games played list. And despite his advanced age, he remains productive on the field registering 6.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 9 tackles for loss, 16 QB hits, and 43 total tackles in 2025.
His leadership will be instrumental in helping to usher in a new wave of defensive players in Baltimore, especially with the team about to embark on their first season with a new head coach since 2008.
Photo: Maryland GovPics. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.