Falcons DE Calais Campbell Hopes to Bring 'Violence' to Defense
When the Atlanta Falcons signed Calais Campbell earlier this offseason, they knew he would bring a ton of experience to the rather-young defense ... but he's also bringing some physicality to the table.
"Just being a veteran leader, going out there giving everything I got, and being a force on the defensive line," Campbell said when asked about his role. "Arthur Smith said he wanted a violent d-line, and I can bring a lot of violence that's for sure."
Campbell, who turns 37 in September, is entering his 16th NFL season in 2023, a rarity for defensive players. However, Campbell still has a lot of gas left in the tank.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot in me,” Campbell said. “I feel like I can play a lot of good football. I go through a very tough offseason to make sure that I’m prepared and ready. Then I have a team of people that I work with to keep me going during the season. A lot of that is nutrient and everything else as well.”
The Falcons don't expect Campbell to be the same player he was in his prime with the Arizona Cardinals, but Atlanta fans should expect to see him frequently on the football field.
“Sixty percent sound about right,” Campbell said. “I think I can go out there and give you a high-quality 40 plays a game at a high level. Thirty-five of them are going to be elite plays in my opinion.”
Campbell was recruited by several teams in free agency, including teams closer to a championship in the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars, but the Falcons offered the former All-Pro a chance to return to his roots and truly play defensive end.
“One of the other things that I like was that they said my role would be playing true (defensive) end,” Campbell said. “Playing on the edge on first- and second -down, which was really very appealing … they didn’t say Cam Jordan role, but based on the defense they ran with Ryan Nielsen, it looks like that Cam Jordan kind of role. It was very appealing to me. I did a lot of research. I felt like I can go and do that at a high level.”
For a team like the Falcons that has worked towards a youth movement for years, signing a veteran like Campbell is very out of character. However, it shows that Atlanta is shifting and shooting for something new.
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