Calais Campbell’s contract scenario

Calais Campbell is coming off one of his best games of the season, but even the defensive end himself admitted, “A lot of times I didn’t play as well as I could have. I feel like I could play so much better.”

Campbell has a team-high five sacks, although it’s worth noting 4.5 of those came in two games, against the Seahawks and the Rams. That said, the 25-year-old has been playing good football, getting quarterback pressures and blocking field goals. While both he and the coaches want to see him up his game, his effort can’t be lost. Campbell can’t be lost either. That’s why Campbell’s contract — which runs out after the season — will only gather steam as a topic.

General manager Rod Graves said earlier this season the team wants to address it, although Campbell — below pictured doing his “home run” sack celebration — said Thursday “we haven’t really started talking to anybody yet, so I’m just trying to play football.”

Campbell’s defensive linemate, Darnell Dockett, was acting as Campbell’s PR firm Thursday. “We need to (re-sign him), and I trust Rod Graves and the organization, they’ll do right by Calais,” Dockett said. “He’s young and is a good leader. He’s only got upside. I don’t think he’s fully developed into his body, to be honest. Another 10 pounds, that dude will be walking around like a gorilla around here.”

Campbell reiterated his contract is something he can’t control. Talking to him, it’s certainly not something that seems to be weighing on him. Asked if he wants to get something done before the end of the season, Campbell admitted “I don’t know what the best scenario is.” Free agency is attractive, although Campbell would probably be the Cards’ top candidate for the franchise tag, if it came to that. (A quick aside: In my opinion, I don’t think it will.)

Dockett, who signed his own extension in 2010, doesn’t want Campbell or anyone of that ilk to go anywhere.

“When you are trying to develop a championship team, you can’t just let guys leak out of here,” Dockett said. “We are trying to get back to the Super Bowl and be a powerhouse team, we can’t just work together, we also have to have the guys here, the weapons to get that done.”

Click here to order Calais Campbell’s proCane Rookie Card.


(azcardinals.com)