Calais Campbell remains unsigned well after his debut season in Atlanta. The All-Decade defender could still find himself with the Falcons in 2024 if he elects to continue his career.
Campbell, 37, joined the team on a one-year deal last offseason. That agreement came amid questions about his playing future after his Ravens tenure was brought to an end following three seasons in Baltimore. The six-time Pro Bowler is best known for his work as a D-lineman (especially in the waning stages of his career), but as planned, he spent considerable time on the edge with Atlanta. Playing all 17 games in 2023, Campbell totaled 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Coming off that production, the Falcons are interested in a new deal. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that both he and general manager Terry Fontenot hope to re-sign Campbell. Morris added he has briefly spoken to the former All-Pro already, but a face-to-face conversation would provide him an opportunity to directly pitch the idea of remaining in Atlanta.
“I look forward to get[ting] a chance to sit in front of him because he’s certainly impressive as it gets when he comes to football character,” Morris said. “He’s had an impressive of a career that you can have… I’m looking [forward] to discussing that in farther detail with him at a later date.”
Campbell tied for the team lead in sacks, underscoring his continued ability as he ages and the Falcons’ need to make additions in the pass-rush department. The former second-rounder reached a well-documented personal goal last season by eclipsing 100 career sacks, but it would come as little surprise if teams viewed him as more of a rotational option moving forward. Campbell logged a 63% snap share, a figure in line with his usage from the past two seasons and his stated plan ahead of the 2023 campaign.
The former Walton Payton Man of the Year winner remained strong against the run last season, recording an 80.2 PFF grade in that regard. If he continued his career, he would be expected to offer similar play in 2024. Campbell’s decision on his future will be a storyline to watch as the offseason continues, but the Falcons — a team currently armed with only $6.3M in cap space entering the draft — would certainly welcome him back.
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