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Calais Campbell

Mike McDaniel Vetoed Dolphins-Ravens Calais Campbell Trade

November 24th, 2024 at 12:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens made a pair of moves leading up to the trade deadline. Wideout Diontae Johnson was added in a deal with the Panthers, one which was followed up by the acquisition of cornerback Tre’Davious White from the Rams. Baltimore’s efforts also included the pursuit of a familiar face along the D-line.

The Ravens and Dolphins discussed a Calais Campbell trade, but it ultimately did not go through. The reason why has now become clear: Miami head coach Mike McDaniel stepped in to keep the veteran in place. It was McDaniel’s actions (which included a face-to-face conversation with Campbell himself) that prevented the trade from taking place, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Remaining was Campbell’s preference, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald adds.

At one point, many – including the former Walter Payton Man of the Year winner – believed a deal would be consummated. If that had been the case, Campbell would have returned to Baltimore after he spent three seasons there from 2020-22. During that time, the 38-year-old was a mainstay along the D-line in addition to providing leadership qualities; replicating that in 2024 would have provided a boost along the defensive front to the Ravens down the stretch. Rapoport notes the trade would have seen a 2026 fifth-round pick head the other way.

Instead, Campbell remained in Miami (where he played in college) past the deadline. He has helped lead the Dolphins to two straight wins entering Sunday’s action, giving the team a 4-6 record. Continuing that momentum will be key if a postseason push is to be possible over the coming weeks. Miami ranks 10th against the run, a sign of Campbell’s continued effectiveness during the waning stages of his career.

As a pending free agent, he would have represented a valuable rental addition on the part of the Ravens as part of their own aim to make a deep postseason run. Campbell would have factored into a defensive line rotation including Nnamdi Madubuike, Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington and Brent Urban. Especially considering the injuries that unit has dealt with in 2024, having Campbell available as at least a depth option would have been welcomed. Baltimore’s secondary has been a sore spot this year, but the team has exceled against the run even without him.

Campbell has started all 10 of his appearances in 2024, his first season as a Dolphin. With a 58% defensive snap share, he has handled a notable workload in Miami, and that should be expected to continue down the stretch (although Kelly notes the team has given thought to waiving him later in the campaign if the playoffs become out of reach). Retirement could again receive consideration after the season, but if he elects to continue playing Campbell could elect to re-sign with Miami in part due to McDaniel’s commitment to keeping him in place beyond the deadline.

Ravens Trade For Calais Campbell Fell Short

November 9th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens were especially aggressive at the trade deadline as they looked to improve their defense. The team made an aggressive bid for Marshon Lattimore before landing Tre’Davious White from the Rams. If the front office had their way, they also would have reunited with an old friend.

[RELATED: Ravens Acquire CB Tre’Davious White From Rams]

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the Ravens were close to completing a trade with the Dolphins for defensive tackle Calais Campbell. However, the deal ultimately fell apart at the last minute.

The veteran defensive lineman had a three-year stint in Baltimore between 2020 and 2022, starting 40 of his 41 appearances. Over that span, he collected 11 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 36 QB hits, and he got into another three playoff games for the organization. Campbell was cut by the team at the end of the 2022 campaign and caught on with the Falcons, where he spent one season.

The 38-year-old joined the Dolphins this past offseason and has started all eight of his appearances for his new squad, collecting 28 tackles and two sacks. Despite getting up there in age, Campbell still ranks fourth on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defensive lineman, an improvement from his 23rd-place showing in 2023. The Ravens could have used some DL depth with Michael Pierce sitting on injured reserve and Brent Urban dealing with a concussion.

As for the trade they did make, Breer notes that White agreed to remove all playing-time incentives to help facilitate a trade to Baltimore.

Ravens Offered Third-Round Pick For Marshon Lattimore

November 8th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ trade deadline moves were a bit anticlimactic, especially considering that Baltimore is thought to be a contender in a championship window who should be receiving the full allotment of compensatory draft picks in 2025. It appears that the Ravens’ lackluster result wasn’t necessarily for lack of trying, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that Baltimore put in an offer to trade for former Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

According to Breer, the Ravens offered up a third-round pick for the veteran cornerback. Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports adds that this was initially a battle of the AFC’s top contenders as the Chiefs and Ravens each attempted to acquire Lattimore, but Washington, a blooming contender in their own right, swooped in at the final moment to outbid them.

Per Schultz, the Commanders saw their extensive draft capital in the upcoming offseason and their top-four cap space for 2025 and decided to acquire Lattimore as another building block for the next few seasons. Breer reports that Lattimore initially wasn’t even being made available. It wasn’t until former head coach Dennis Allen got fired that the Saints started hearing out offers on the defender.

He adds that Lattimore wasn’t the only Ravens trade target for whom the team fell short. Breer relays that Baltimore also was on the homestretch to reacquire defensive lineman Calais Campbell from the Dolphins. The aging veteran spent three years with the Ravens from 2020-22, making a Pro Bowl (the sixth of his career) during his time with the team. In eight games in Miami this year, Campbell hasn’t really shown his usual production but still could’ve been a crucial addition to a Ravens defensive line that applies plenty of pressure but often struggles to finish.

Instead, the Ravens held on to their likely 11 draft picks for 2025 (seven rounds plus four compensatory picks), acquiring wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Panthers for a 2025 late-round pick swap and oft-injured veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White and the Rams 2027 seventh-round pick for a seventh- of their own in 2026.

One of the league’s more consistent franchises when it comes to the draft, those 11 picks can be crucial for the future, but it’s likely frustrating for fans who watch the team’s 32nd-ranked pass defense and who realize just how quickly championship windows can close.

Dolphins Receiving Calls On DL Calais Campbell

November 3rd, 2024 at 11:28am CST by Rory Parks

One of this era’s most accomplished defensive linemen, Calais Campbell signed a one-year, veteran minimum accord with the Dolphins this offseason. However, he may not complete a full season in Miami.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report that the Dolphins have received trade inquiries on Campbell, who has started all seven of the club’s games this season while logging a 57% snap share. In that time, he has posted two sacks, 22 tackles (seven TFL), and three passes defensed.

That surface-level production is supported by a stellar 86.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which presently considers Campbell the fourth-best interior defender out of 122 qualified players. Given his performance and the fact that he is due a pittance for the remainder of the season, it is easy to see why rival clubs would be interested in making a trade for the stretch run.

By the same token, the Dolphins obviously would love to retain Campbell to assist in their own playoff push. The problem is that the ‘Fins are currently 2-5, in third place in the AFC East, and have just a 7% chance of qualifying for the postseason, per NFL.com. Of course, the primary reason for their poor record to date is the fact that starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed four full games due to a concussion.

With Tagovailoa now back in the lineup, Miami – which entered the season as a legitimate contender – hopes that it can make a real run at cracking the playoff field. That pursuit will begin with today’s matchup against the division-rival Bills, who currently boast a 6-2 mark.

Naturally, if the Dolphins should lose to Buffalo and drop to 2-6 on the season, they will be more inclined to trade Campbell, as Schefter notes. A loss would leave Miami with a mere 3% chance of making the playoffs, so a sellers’ move like dealing a 38-year-old player on a one-year contract would be a fairly easy call for GM Chris Grier to make.

Extra Points: Hill, Watson, Prescott

September 9th, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Tyreek Hill‘s detainment before yesterday’ game, Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 South Florida released the bodycam footage from Miami-Dade Police. The release of the video follows a statement by the Miami-Dade Police earlier today in which they said that Hill was not immediately cooperative with officers (per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).

The video shows that Hill was initially pulled over for speeding while approaching Hard Rock Stadium. After the Dolphins wide receiver was pulled over, he was asked to keep his window down. As ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and Xuan Thai detail, the “incident escalated when Hill didn’t comply.”

After exiting his vehicle, Hill was grabbed “by the back of the head and neck area” and forced to the pavement before being placed in handcuffs. After being walked to the sidewalk, Hill was forced to the ground again after not immediately complying to an officer’s demand to sit down, with the wideout citing recent knee surgery.

The footage also shows the police tensely interacting with tight end Jonnu Smith, who parked about 25 feet away from Hill. Smith “was ultimately given a citation.” Defensive lineman Calais Campbell can also be seen in the footage approaching police with his arms raised.

Following the release of the footage, the Miami Dolphins released a statement. While the organization lauded the release of the video and acknowledged their relationship with the Miami-Dade Police, they also requested “swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.” Per Armando Salguero of Outkick.com, the officer at the center of the video “was placed on administrative duties” and has hired a lawyer.

More notes from around the NFL…

  • Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a new civil lawsuit claiming him of sexual assault and battery during an incident in October 2020, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. Watson “sexually assaulted the woman for several minutes” before storming out of her apartment. Watson was previously accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct by more than two dozen women. He avoided criminal charges but was served an 11-game suspension after the league and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement. Watson settled 23 of his 24 civil lawsuits, and this latest suit joins the one remaining civil suit from 2022. An NFL spokesperson declined comment when asked about the matter, per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS.
  • Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has the details on Dak Prescott‘s new contract with the Cowboys. The four-year, $240MM extension features an $80MM signing bonus and $129MM guaranteed at signing. The quarterback will have another $40MM guaranteed next March, and another $45MM will be guaranteed the following March. The deal also includes a no-trade clause, a no-franchise tag clause, and a no-transition tag clause.
  • The NFL sent a memo to more than 20 players and their respective teams before Week 1, warning the players that they could face suspensions if they violated the safety and sportsmanship policies. While the players’ identities weren’t revealed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the individuals “have been penalized and scrutinized in the past,” with all of the players having been suspended over the past two years for on-the-field incidents.

NFL Active Leaders In Career Earnings

July 13th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins‘ four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons this season vaulted him up the list of active career earners. This was by virtue of his $50MM signing bonus, adding to the more than $231MM he earned from the Commanders and (mostly) the Vikings throughout his career. Even under the worst-case scenario, Cousins will still see at least another $50MM come his way via his contract with Atlanta, which would push his career earnings north of $331MM.

While the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cousins will surely see a significant portion of the $80MM worth of unguaranteed money on his contract, he’ll still be hard pressed to catch Aaron Rodgers on the career-earnings list. Rodgers earned more than $306MM during his long tenure in Green Bay, and he’s already made close to $37MM during his one season in New York (mostly via the $35MM signing bonus on his reworked pact).

With at least $40MM of additional guarantees coming his way from the Jets, Rodgers will continue to grow his lead as the highest-earning NFL player of all time. Both Rodgers and Matthew Stafford were able to leap Tom Brady among the NFL’s highest all-time earners over the past year.

With all that said, we’ve listed the 25 active players who have earned the most money in their NFL careers (h/t to OverTheCap.com). While this list is up to date, it doesn’t account for soon-to-realized salaries for the 2024 campaign. This list is also solely focused on NFL cash and does not include off-the-field earnings:

  1. QB Aaron Rodgers: $343MM
  2. QB Matthew Stafford: $328MM
  3. QB Russell Wilson: $305MM
  4. QB Kirk Cousins: $281MM
  5. QB Jared Goff: $234MM
  6. LB Von Miller: $179MM
  7. QB Joe Flacco: $177MM
  8. OT Trent Williams: $171MM
  9. QB Derek Carr: $165MM
  10. LB Khalil Mack: $162MM
  11. QB Dak Prescott: $161MM
  12. DL Aaron Donald: $157MM
  13. QB Jimmy Garoppolo: $150MM
  14. DE Calais Campbell: $143MM
  15. QB Deshaun Watson: $142MM
  16. QB Patrick Mahomes: $136MM
  17. DE Joey Bosa: $134MM
  18. DL Leonard Williams: $134MM
  19. WR Mike Evans: $132MM
  20. QB Carson Wentz: $130MM
  21. WR DeAndre Hopkins: $128MM
  22. WR Stefon Diggs: $126MM
  23. DE Cameron Jordan: $126MM
  24. OT Lane Johnson: $121MM
  25. DT Chris Jones: $120MM

Dolphins To Sign DL Calais Campbell

June 21st, 2024 at 9:46am CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 21: Campbell’s Miami return will see him receive the veteran’s minimum ($1.21MM) for a base salary, per Over the Cap. The pact includes a $790K signing bonus, resulting in a cap charge of $2MM. If Campbell can remain healthy in 2024, he should be able to provide cost-effective play against the run and pass for the Dolphins.

JUNE 13: The Dolphins are not stopping at Shaquil Barrett as a front-seven addition. They are adding one of this era’s most accomplished defensive linemen. Calais Campbell is coming back to South Florida.

After a season in Atlanta, Campbell intends to sign with the Dolphins, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. Campbell is a Denver native but played collegiately at Miami back in the 2000s. This will be the consistent D-lineman’s 17th NFL season. The agreement will also reunite Campbell and new Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, who coached the stalwart interior defender with the Ravens.

Plenty of time has passed since Campbell’s previous Miami stay; he was college teammates with Frank Gore, Devin Hester and Antrel Rolle. Campbell joined the Hurricanes 20 years ago, redshirting during the 2004 season. The 37-year-old defender did return to Florida for his memorable Jaguars stay; this will complete a journey back to where he starred in college. Campbell will join a Dolphins team that lost top interior pass rusher Christian Wilkins this offseason.

Although Campbell will turn 38 in September, he is still performing at a high level. The former Cardinals draftee totaled 6.5 sacks last season, pacing the Falcons, and produced his most quarterback hits (17) since the 2019 season. His 10 tackles for loss also doubled as the most he had notched since 2019. Campbell also notched a third career safety during a productive Atlanta stay, but after the Falcons changed coaching staffs, the productive veteran will rejoin his former position coach in Miami.

New Falcons HC Raheem Morris said in April he looked forward to a Campbell meeting, keeping the door open to a return. Atlanta, which has Grady Jarrett on the road back from an ACL tear, used three draft choices to bolster its D-line this year. While the Falcons took heat for drafting Michael Penix Jr. in Round 1 and punting on its glaring need for a pass rusher, the team did circle back to help its front on Days 2 and 3 of the draft.

Standing 6-foot-8, Campbell has been one of this era’s premier inside rushers. He will enter the 2024 season with 105.5 career sacks. Among players currently on NFL rosters, only Von Miller (123.5) and Cameron Jordan (117.5) have that beat. Campbell, who is also one of the great kick blockers in NFL history, entered the NFL three years before those edge-rushing standouts. He will continue to serve as the longest-tenured defender in football.

Campbell made all six of his Pro Bowls from 2014-20, serving as a key part of the Cardinals’ successful mid-2010s defenses before anchoring the Jaguars’ “Sacksonville” efforts later in the decade. Campbell’s free agency accord with Jacksonville in 2017 played a central role in the team making a stunning run to the AFC championship game. He totaled a career-high 14.5 sacks that season and followed that up with 10.5 in 2018. As the Jags’ nucleus splintered, Campbell wound up in Baltimore via trade. He spent three seasons with the Ravens, making a Pro Bowl in 2020 and totaling 5.5 sacks in 2022.

The Dolphins lost both Wilkins and Raekwon Davis off their defensive line in free agency. While the team extended Zach Sieler last year, Wilkins broke through as a pass rusher in his contract year and signed a monster Raiders deal in free agency. The Dolphins had not ruled out retaining Wilkins, but their cap situation made that virtually impossible.

Campbell has a better record as a pass rusher, though his age obviously brings down his price tag. The historically experienced pass rusher joins Jonathan Harris, Da’Shawn Hand and Teair Tart as Miami offseason D-line additions. Campbell played for $7MM last season; it should be expected his Dolphins contract will not check in too much higher than the deals given to the other UFA D-linemen Miami added this year.

Falcons Open To Re-Signing Calais Campbell

April 5th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Adam La Rose

Calais Campbell remains unsigned well after his debut season in Atlanta. The All-Decade defender could still find himself with the Falcons in 2024 if he elects to continue his career, though.

Campbell, 37, joined the team on a one-year deal last offseason. That agreement came amongst questions about his playing future, after his Ravens tenure was brought to an end following three seasons in Baltimore. The six-time Pro Bowler is best known for his work as a D-lineman (especially in the waning stages of his career), but as planned he spent considerable time on the edge with Atlanta. Playing all 17 games in 2023, Campbell totaled 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Coming off that production, the Falcons are interested in a new deal. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) both he and general manager Terry Fontenot hope to re-sign Campbell. Morris added he has briefly spoken to the former All-Pro already, but a face-to-face conversation would provide him to opportunity to directly pitch the idea of remaining in Atlanta.

“I look forward to get[ting] a chance to sit in front of him because he’s certainly impressive as it gets when he comes to football character,” Morris said. “He’s had an impressive of a career that you can have… I’m looking [forward] to discussing that in farther detail with him at a later date.”

Campbell tied for the team lead in sacks, underscoring his continued ability as he ages but also the Falcons’ need to make additions in the pass-rush department. The former second-rounder reached a well-documented personal goal last season by eclipsing 100 career sacks, but it would come as little surprise if teams viewed him as more of a rotational option moving forward. Campbell logged a 63% snap share, a figure in line with his usage from the past two seasons and his stated plan ahead of the 2023 campaign.

The former Walton Payton Man of the Year winner remained a strong presence against the run last season, recording an 80.2 PFF grade in that regard. He would be expected to continue offering similar play in 2024 if he were to carry on with his career. Campbell’s decision on his future will be a storyline to watch as the offseason continues, but the Falcons – a team currently armed with only $6.3MM in cap space entering the draft – would certainly welcome him back.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/23

August 7th, 2023 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL LaColby Tucker
  • Activated from active/PUP list: DL Calais Campbell
  • Waived: DL Matthew Gotel

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Placed on IR: DT Devonnsha Maxwell

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Trevor Reid

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: LB Jordan Ferguson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Streveler is currently dealing with an injury, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Jets used Streveler as their top backup QB to close last season, inserting him into a Week 16 game ahead of Joe Flacco. Streveler stuck around via reserve/futures contract in January. But the Jets have since traded for Aaron Rodgers and signed Tim Boyle, marking a new era at quarterback. With Zach Wilson still around, the team does not appear to have any room — potentially even on the practice squad — for Streveler, who has played for the Jets and Cardinals in a three-year NFL career.

Apke has been with Washington since being chosen in the 2018 fourth round. He re-signed with the team in 2022 and stayed via reserve/futures contract in January. A shoulder injury, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, will move Apke to IR, which will end his chances of playing a sixth season with the Commanders this year. Kalu started five games for the Titans last season, playing 494 defensive snaps. Over his first three seasons, Kalu had never cleared the 100-snap barrier on defense.

Schoonmaker suffered a foot injury, a plantar fascia tear, during his final year at Michigan. The Cowboys’ top post-Dalton Schultz tight end investment will aim to make a push for a regular role to begin the season.

The Dolphins made Blackman part of their UDFA class this year. The former Florida State starter spent six years in college, finishing up with Arkansas State. The Dolphins swapped out Teddy Bridgewater for Mike White this offseason, but Skylar Thompson has made a push to be Tua Tagovailoa‘s backup. Regardless of that competition’s outcome, Blackman’s ceiling appeared to be practice squad QB in Miami. But the Dolphins may be looking into outside help for that developmental role — provided the team plans on stashing a fourth passer on its taxi squad.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/23

July 25th, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

With a number of teams preparing for the start of training camp, a long list of players were placed on inactive lists today. We’ve compiled all of those and today’s other minor moves below:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

Isaiah Wilson hasn’t had an NFL gig since he was released by the Giants in January of 2022. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the free agent lineman was slapped with a three-game suspension, but it’s uncertain what led to the temporary ban. Wilson was a first-round pick by the Titans in 2020 but got into only one game with Tennessee before getting shipped off to Miami. He was waived by Miami after showing up late to his team physical, and his practice squad stint with New York only lasted one season.

Max Garcia is an experienced addition to the Saints OL room, with the veteran having most recently started seven of his 12 appearances with the Cardinals in 2022. The 31-year-old has 59 games of starting experience, although Pro Football Focus was iffy on his production last year (63rd among 77 qualifying offensive guards).

Following a three-year stint in Cleveland, Terrance Mitchell has spent the past two seasons bouncing around the NFL. He got into 14 games (13 starts) for the Texans in 2021, finishing with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He spent the 2022 season with the Titans, finishing with 39 tackles in 11 games (five starts). 49ers fifth-round pick Darrell Luter Jr. is set to miss some time with a knee injury, providing Mitchell with an opportunity during training camp.

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