Bills Named Free-Agent Fit for Star Defensive Tackle

The Bills should bring in a longtime veteran to bolster their defensive front.

Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (93) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There’s no question that the Buffalo Bills will look to beef up their defensive interior this offseason.

The Bills struggled to both stop the run and rush the passer consistently in 2025 and must bring in a few key additions to bolster a defensive line that will be losing a few significant contributors from its underperforming group a season ago. The options to do so include the draft, trade and free agency, where one analyst believes a longtime veteran could be the answer.

Calais Campbell is a fit for the Bills, says Locked on Bills host Joe Marino. The seasoned vet DT is projected to earn just under $11 million in average annual value on the open market, per Spotrac, and may be a player Buffalo could fit under its tight salary cap situation.

Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Old-timer

Campbell has been in the league for 18 years and is coming off a 6.5-sack season with the Arizona Cardinals.

“He is not young; he turns 40 in September,” said Marino. “… At 39 years old, he played in all 17 games like he does every year. On the field for 46% of snaps, six and a half sacks, 33 pressures, 24 run stuffs. The appeal here is that it’s Calais freaking Campbell. He’s an absolute dude.”

Marino is right. Campbell has played in 17 games over three straight seasons, all of which have been played with different teams. During that span, he recorded 18 sacks and 31 tackles for loss.

Despite his advanced age, Campbell remains highly effective and could be a solid option for Buffalo as a team leader as it transitions to a new 3-4 scheme under first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (93) signals a safety during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Current options

The Bills recently re-signed Phidarian Mathis, while they also have Ed Oliver, DeWayne Carter, T.J. Sanders, Deone Walker, Tommy Akingbesote and Zion Logue on the roster. Walker is an ascending player, Sanders displayed flashes of potential in his rookie campaign, while the others are replacement-level at best at this stage of their respective careers. 

Campbell would be a nice name to add to that unit in the first year of the Joe Brady era, bringing an established track record to the table among a group of unproven players in the defensive trenches. He may be aging (or aged), but Campbell appears to have something left to offer a team looking to contend for a Super Bowl.