Steak and lobster for Calais Campbell and Co.

It's been a top-shelf week for Calais Campbell, Arizona's defensive end who signed a five-year, $55 million contract extension with the Cardinals on Thursday.

With the ink still drying on the contract, Around the League spoke via phone with Campbell, who confirmed he wouldn't celebrate his epic payday alone.

"I'll probably take the D-line out and do something fun, get some food and hang out and celebrate," Campbell said. "It's definitely one of those things, it's a great day, a dream come true."

The menu for the evening has been released: "It will probably be steak and lobsters for everybody."

That's the mood on defense after the Cardinals closed last season with a 5-1 spree. Campbell racked up eight sacks and emerged as one of the game's most underrated, disruptive 3-4 ends on the field.

It's tough to miss him at 6-foot-8, but he'd get more press if he wore blue with the Giants, green with the Jets or a little pretty star on the side of his helmet -- and he knows it.

"It's just the way the game is, but I feel like we're a great team," Campbell said. "If we go out there and keep playing the way we finished the season last year, we can definitely make a run for it this year."

Arizona's trek out of the cellar in 2011 flew under the radar like a ghost ship. Quarterback John Skelton was the league's most invisible magic man, going 5-2 in starts down the stretch. The nation couldn't tear itself away from that guy in Denver, Tim Something, but Campbell wouldn't trade his place -- or his team -- for any other heading into 2012. The Cardinals, and the city, feel the same about him.

"People look past us, that's cool, because it doesn't matter what people say at the beginning of the year," Campbell said. "All that matters is what's at the end."

In our view, one of the better offseason signings for the Cardinals -- or any team.


(nfl.com)