Analyst: Cardinals, Former Player Need Reunion

Former Arizona Cardinals DL Calais Campbell should come home for one last ride, according to B/R.

Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Calais Campbell receives the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award at the NFLPA Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center prior to Super Bowl LVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports | Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals added some strong depth to their re-worked defensive line over the offseason.

In free agency, Arizona brought on names such as Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga while the draft yielded first-round pick Darius Robinson.

The Cardinals also returned familiar faces in L.J. Collier and Dante Stills.

Is there any room for a former fan-favorite?

Bleacher Report highlighted former Cardinals DL Calais Campbell - who is still a free agent - as a player who could benefit from a reunion.

"Calais Campbell is going to be 38 years old on September 1. That's about the only explanation as to why he's still available nearly three months after free agency started," wrote Alex Ballentine.

"It certainly isn't about his play last season. He started all 17 games last season, played 63 percent of the snaps and registered 6.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 17 quarterback hits. It's hard to imagine there aren't a lot of teams that could use that kind of contribution on the defensive line.

"Campbell, 37, is a somewhat unique defensive lineman. At 6'8", 290 pounds, he has the length and size to play multiple alignments and has been best utilized by defenses who will play multiple fronts.

"At worst, he's an interior pass-rush specialist who sees an even smaller amount of snaps in 2024, but he could be even more disruptive in that role.

"The Arizona Cardinals have a lot of youth up front and could reunite with Campbell to add a veteran into the mix."

In the words of Monti Ossenfort, they can never have enough bodies along the defensive line.

"We can never have enough big guys, whether that's on the offensive or defensive line," Ossenfort said during the offseason.

"I think last year our depth got tested, so we were able to add some pieces that we (knew) were going to help us in free agency and then (we added) another piece in the draft here."

As the Cardinals look to begin the second year of Jonathan Gannon's tenure in the desert, Campbell certainly fits the billing of a man of character Gannon wouldn't hesitate twice on.

He's clearly still able to produce, wouldn't be asked to do too much in a crowded room, and perhaps would be a great way to end a career that began in this very spot.