The Bucs And Calais Campbell

March 13th, 2023

Now this intrigues Joe greatly.

The Bucs want to get younger this season, but they also want to win because jobs are on the line. (Aren’t they always in the NFL?)

Head coach/defensive wizard Todd Bowles may not get to keep expensive toys like cornerback Jamel Dean and linebacker Lavonte David because of the team’s salary cap situation, but Bowles knows he needs impact players who can be disciplined in his defense wherever he can find them.

Today the Ravens cut future Hall of Fame defensive end Calais Campbell. He turns 37 in September but is a mountain of a man (6-8, 300 pounds) who continues to stay rather durable and effective. Campbell has 208 career starts with 14 of them coming last season, his third year in Baltimore. He had 5 1/2 sacks, 2 forced fumble and 2 passes defensed.

Campbell played for Bowles in Arizona (2013-2014) and thrived, and he’s known as one of the NFL’s best teammates and citizens. He was due to earn $6.5 million this season, and while he was cut, the Ravens said publicly that they remain interested in bringing him back

Might the Bucs want Campbell if they can’t afford to re-sing edge rusher Anthony Nelson? Bowles loves run defense and Baltimore was ranked third in that category with Campbell on the field most of the time (and former Buccaneer Jason Pierre-Paul).

The Bucs have a lot of question marks on the defensive front with Will Gholston and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches hitting free agency with Nelson, and Shaq Barrett at least five months away from being able to practice.

Campbell could be an intriguing, short-term and inexpensive fit.

39 Responses to “The Bucs And Calais Campbell”

  1. Dooley Says:

    No I’d rather us bring Nelly back and move on knowing what we’re gettin with him. Campbell at 37 yrs old is like brining Julio Jones in to occupy a roster spot we could be evaluating other players with, but on defense. Nope.

  2. Goatfarmer Says:

    Suh.

  3. Tim Says:

    We need to get Nelson back if possible, and I’d love it if we could get Nacho back. Love that guy!!! (In the voice of Whitney Johnson)

  4. Marine Buc Says:

    Just another Akiem Hicks clone.

    Old. Over-priced. Slow. “Where’s my paycheck?” type of player…

    No thank you.

    The Bucs need to get young, healthy, inexpensive and hungry.

    Leave this dude on the scrap heap where he belongs.

  5. Tye Says:

    QB Mike White to Dolphins!

  6. J Ghotier Says:

    Silly

  7. SB~LV Says:

    drug test da joez

  8. Pewter Power Says:

    37!!! We’re trying to get younger aren’t we? This would have been intriguing like 4-5 years ago

  9. zzbucs Says:

    Is this some kind of joke?

  10. SB Says:

    I see that Austin Eckler is seeking a trade!

  11. Biff Barker Says:

    Pillaging the old age home.

  12. Pewter Power Says:

    Might as well go young because if you’re not signing anyone that can help you beat the niners or eagles then you’d be wasting money especially like last year, who in the Bucs organization didn’t realize they’d be one and done in the playoffs

  13. Pryda … sec147 Says:

    Hellllll to nahhh

  14. Bucco Bruce Says:

    I love how people say absolutely not like we have cap space to really grab the creme de-la creme. As a depth piece that can help these young guys grow if he is healthy and cheap I say yes.

  15. firethecannons Says:

    For God’s sake stop the nonsense! No! get out of cap hell and get younger, this guy is too old we cannot afford him ridiculous!

  16. Rod Munch Says:

    If you had Tom Brady coming back, sure.

    But you don’t. You have a team that is going to be one of the worst in football, so why bother? Cap space carries over from year to year, so saving $5m here and there can add up – not to mention you still have to get under the cap.

  17. LOL Says:

    Suh

  18. BigZ Says:

    Nacho is glue type guy. Plays with energy. Need to try yo resign Nacho. Pass on Calais.

  19. RagingBrisket Says:

    If only we didn’t waste a pick on a Logan Hall

  20. Defense Rules Says:

    What’s cheap about $6.5 mil? Right now we’ve only got Vea & Hall on the DLine, and Shaq & JTS as DE/OLBs. We need at least 8 players, preferably 9, to create a reasonable rotation & DEPTH for injuries, meaning we’ll have to sign 4-5 players in addition to those 4. Gholston & RNR know this defense very well, and played reasonably well last season, so bring them back on the cheap. Add Nelson in there & draft 1 more, plus bring back Gill and we’ll have our defensive front set.

  21. deuceswild78 Says:

    campbell would be a great locker room rotational guy in spurts, but he only has a few chances left for a ring… he is not coming here

  22. Rod Munch Says:

    Defense Rules – It’s not coming off this years salary cap. Haven’t you ever heard of this thing called void years?

  23. Jeff’s grandpa Says:

    For vet minimum sure but doubtful

  24. Rod Munch Says:

    deuceswild78 Says:
    March 13th, 2023 at 3:05 pm
    campbell would be a great locker room rotational guy in spurts, but he only has a few chances left for a ring… he is not coming here

    ———-

    Wait, so you’re telling me that you don’t think players are going to buy into Bowles being an amazing coach and taking this team to the SB? What exactly makes you believe such nonsense, well, other than the fact he was handed a SB roster last year and went 8-10 with the best QB in the history of the game.

  25. Colin In Canada Says:

    Will Gholston should be back. He is our C Campbell but won’t cost as much.

  26. sasquatch Says:

    Will he play for under 2 million?

  27. sasquatch Says:

    They’re trying to get younger. Continuing to plug in guys on the downside, overpaying them in the process, is not the direction the franchise is headed. There are exceptions to make, of course, but I doubt this would be one of them unless he’ll be play for 2 million.

  28. sasquatch Says:

    xRagingBrisket Says:
    March 13th, 2023 at 2:59 pm

    If only we didn’t waste a pick on a Logan Hall

    M0r0ns write off players after their rookie year adapting to the NFL.

  29. Buddhaboy19 Says:

    we need a complete sell off, get younger stronger and faster. Need some young studs in here not 1 year stop gaps that cost 5m plus $$.

    Calais was great, over 5 years ago.

  30. Rod Munch Says:

    sasquatch Says:
    M0r0ns write off players after their rookie year adapting to the NFL.

    ———

    While I didn’t like the Hall pick, you’re 100% correct on this. You should never expect anything from a rookie defensive lineman. Defensive lineman and tight end are the two positions where players tend to take the longest time to develop. These dummies saying he’s a wasted pick, are the same idiots calling Sapp after his rookie season when he’s only got 3.5 sacks.

    With that said, Hall is no Sapp, and his college tape stinks. All his production, that I saw, came against really really low-end competition, literally looked like high school players he was shoving around. I get drafting based on the size/speed chart, but Hall is very very much a developmental player. Also, he doesn’t look like a 3-4 DE, he looks like a 4-3 DE, and there’s a huge difference there. But, again, to take anything away from his rookie year is just stupid, and historically, guys don’t show much until their 2nd or 3rd years.

  31. Rover Says:

    Any way we can put Logan Hall in a trade package ? Dude’s college film told many lies. We got hosed. Lets get him gone before everyone else sees it as well !!

  32. sasquatch Says:

    Rover Says:
    March 13th, 2023 at 4:12 pm

    Any way we can put Logan Hall in a trade package ?

    That’s called buying high and selling low. If the guy has athletic ability to work with, it behooves them to work with him to make the most of it. I don’t think they’re ready to give up on him after a rookie year transition.

  33. Larrd Says:

    He probably will only play for cheap if it’s a contender.

  34. SlyPirate Says:

    Why would he want to come to Tampa? If you’re only getting a vet min, play for the 49ers or some other contender.

  35. 80forBrady Says:

    Bring back Nelson and Nassib

    If the Bucs learned anything from the Akiem Hicks signing is the Bill Parcells take on older players,”your best ability is availability”.

    Signing old farts like Akiem Hicks and Julio Jones did nothing for the Bucs unless the Glazers were in the whirlpool tub business and needed two spokesmen. Let some othere teams wiff on the old guys. Bellicek always had a thing” its better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late”

    Nelson and Nassib are proven commodities and fit Bowles defense.

  36. optimisticbucfan Says:

    Always liked Campbell but 37 on the d line is ancient

  37. HC Grover Says:

    AB9…anybody but Plan 9

  38. Goatfarmer Says:

    S U H.

  39. Pete Says:

    “Re-sing” Good one Joe. A play on Nacho’s farewell post. Well done.