Along with Aidan Hutchinson, the Detroit Lions could use some pass-rushing aid.
The Lions did sign defensive end Marcus Davenport in free agency, which could help, but it appears that Detroit needs another player in the trenches.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department wants the Lions to sign free-agent defensive tackle Calais Campbell.
Campbell is still on the open market, despite having a very strong 2023 season with the Atlanta Falcons.
This past season, the veteran appeared in every game and recorded 56 tackles, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He added a precautionary measure.
Campbell, who attended the University of Miami, was taken by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
He spent the first nine years of his career with the Cardinals, garnering consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2014 and 2015.
However, Campbell did not fully break out until he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017, when he had 67 tackles, 14.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown. He made the Pro Bowl, was named a First-Team All-Pro, and placed second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting that season.
Campbell went on to play three seasons with the Jaguars, making three consecutive Pro Bowl berths. He subsequently joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, where he made his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. He spent three years with the Ravens before joining the Falcons last summer.
Campbell, now 37, is no longer the great pass rusher he once was in Jacksonville. But he’s still definitely effective, as proven by his performance in Atlanta last season.
If the Lions sign Campbell, he will join a defensive line that includes Hutchinson, Davenport, and Alim McNeill. It would instantly give Detroit one of the most formidable front sevens in football, and it would significantly enhance a defense that finished 19th in the NFL in 2023.
The Lions are serious Super Bowl candidates, and they have plenty of cap space remaining. There is still time for them to bolster their roster, and Campbell appears to be a good fit.
