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CBS Sports's Joel Corry explained the problem the Detroit Lions will have re-signing Jack Campbell to a contract extension.
The Detroit Lions have a hit in linebacker Jack Campbell, which is why the team extended him to be one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL. Based on the start of his career, he is not going to let the Lions down, according to Al Karsten.
Karesten assembled the list of every linebacker over the past 20 seasons to make the First-Team All-Pro during their first three seasons in the NFL. If Campbell is anything like the rest of this list, he is only just now starting to hit the peak of his true ability.
Linebackers to join Campbell include Lofa Tatupu, Jon Beason, Patrick Willis, Jerod Mayo, NaVarro Bowman, Lavonte David, Luke Kuechly, Bobbby Wagner, Shaquille Leonard, and Fred Warner. Leonard, Kuechly, Bowman, and Willis hit this honor twice.
List of every stand-up linebacker over the last 20 seasons to earn First-Team All-Pro honors within their first three NFL seasons:
• DET Jack Campbell (2025) • SF Fred Warner (2020) • IND Shaquille Leonard (2018, 2020) • SEA Bobby Wagner (2014) • CAR Luke Kuechly (2013,
GettyLinebacker Jack Campbell announced signing a contract extension with the Detroit Lions on Thursday.
Kuechly and Willis both made the Hall of Fame already, and Bowman has been a finalist. Leonard, unfortunately, had to end his career early due to injuries, but few players started their careers as hot as he did.
Tatupu and Beason are two other players who saw injuries derail their careers after hot starts. However, Mayo, David, Wagner, and Warner all ended up with long careers as high-end starters. Wagner and Warner are likely to join Willis and Kuechly in the Hall of Fame, and David is going to be right on the edge with Bowman.
So, of the ten linebackers who earned an All-Pro in their first three seasons, at least six of them are going to be nominated to make the Hall of Fame, and there is a good chance that at least four, but potentially all six, get in at some point. Three had their careers cut short due to injury, and then there is Mayo, who made multiple Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl during his seven-year NFL playing career.
Campbell has done everything that the Lions have asked from him, which is why the team was not reluctant to extend him. Still, that extension also said that they are betting on him to improve in the coming years. The Lions need it because their defense has a lot of questions otherwise.
The team lost Alex Anzalone at linebacker and will either lean more heavily on Malcolm Rodriguez or rookie Jimmy Rolder. Beyond that, in their secondary, four of their five starters are coming back from injury.
Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are questions to be ready for Week 1, and both Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed were hurt for large stretches last year. Their fifth secondary member is either a new free agent or a later-round draft pick. Either way, they are going to be going through growing pains on the back end.
Having a stabilizer in the middle is valuable during these times, and the Lions are going to lean on Campbell to hold things down while the rest of the room goes through the ups and downs.
Parker Hurley Parker Hurley covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also covers the Chicago Bears, and San Francisco 49ers on various outlets. A veteran NFL writer and editor, his work has also appeared at FanSided, Full Press Coverage, Last Word on Sports, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated affiliates. More about Parker Hurley
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