Six-time Pro-Bowl DE Calais Campbell, who played in Baltimore from 2020-2022, is returning to sign a one-year deal with the Ravens, per source. Campbell will 40 on Sept. 1 and this will be his 19th NFL season.
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Head coach Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers will not be signing veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell in NFL free agency.
Both local and national pundits linked the Green Bay Packers to veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell this offseason. But any pipe dream of Campbell coming to Green Bay for the 2026 NFL season died Thursday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday morning the Baltimore Ravens signed Campbell to a 1-year contract. The defensive lineman will play his 19th NFL season this fall.
Six-time Pro-Bowl DE Calais Campbell, who played in Baltimore from 2020-2022, is returning to sign a one-year deal with the Ravens, per source. Campbell will 40 on Sept. 1 and this will be his 19th NFL season.
SI on Packers’ Bill Huber was the latest to suggest Campbell as a target for Green Bay this offseason. On Wednesday, Huber included the veteran defensive lineman on a list of free agents “who could push Packers over top.”
Huber, along with others, connected the Packers to Campbell because of what he could bring to Green Bay’s defensive line on a short-term basis in 2026. Campbell also played for new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon last season.
With Gannon and the Arizona Cardinals during 2025, Campbell registered 43 combined tackles, including nine tackles for loss. He also had 16 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, and two pass defenses in 17 games at 39 years old.
Campbell will turn 40 in September before Week 1.
Campbell played in the Super Bowl as a rookie at the end of the 2008 season. Since then, though, he hasn’t returned to the big game.
Twice since then, Campbell has played in the championship game. With the Cardinals, Campbell played in the NFC championship game following the 2015 NFL season.
Two years later, he returned to the championship game in the AFC with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Campbell’s team lost both games.
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense Campbell is signing with a Super Bowl contender. That’s part of why Green Bay was a potential destination for the defensive lineman. However, Campbell hasn’t previously played for the Packers.
From 2020-22, Campbell played for the Ravens. His most recent Pro Bowl came with Baltimore in 2020.
Campbell made first-team All-Pro in Jacksonville during 2017. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting to Aaron Donald that season.
The veteran defensive lineman also made second-team All-Pro in 2014 and 2016.
From 2014-20, he made the Pro Bowl every year except 2016.
Fortunately, Green Bay didn’t absolutely need to sign Campbell. Huber put it best when describing his potential addition as something that could put the Packers “over the top.”
In free agency, the Packers signed veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. The new Green Bay lineman is 33 years old, but he’s also a former Pro Bowler and could play a lot more snaps than Campbell at his age.
Hargrave is likely to start, but the Packers already have a rather full interior defensive line room. Hargrave is one of 10 defensive tackles on Green Bay’s roster. One of the others is Devonte Wyatt, who started 10 contests for the Packers last season.
Hargrave will work as a replacement for Colby Wooden. Green Bay traded the young interior defensive line to the Indianapolis Colts in the deal for linebacker Zaire Franklin.
Warren Brinson, Karl Brooks, Anthony Campbell, Jaden Crumedy, James Ester, Jonathan Ford, Jordon Riley and Nazir Stackhouse are Green Bay’s other defensive tackles.
That deep group could be why the Packers didn’t more seriously consider Campbell. The veteran could have been a valuable contributor in a rotational role, but he would have been a luxury addition.
Perhaps the Packers could pursue another luxury signing this summer after seeing their full roster on the field in offseason workouts.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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