Four years after his first Ravens stint ended, defensive lineman Calais Campbell reunited with the team in free agency earlier this spring. Campbell expects the one-year, $5.5MM contract he signed to go down as his last in the NFL.
Discussing his future on Tuesday, the soon-to-be 40-year-old said (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN): “I always tell myself — and this year I feel it as strongly as ever — that this is probably going to be my last year. I know I said that last year and the year before, but I genuinely meant it at the time. I always tell myself to play well enough to be able to get a job again if I want to. If I go out there and perform to the level I want to play, I’m probably going to have to turn somebody down next year. That’s the ideal scenario. As of right now, I’m playing this year as if it’s my last year.”
As Campbell noted, he will likely field offers in 2027 if he continues to stand out this year. Then a member of the Cardinals, Campbell indicated last August that 2025 would be his final season. However, things changed after the potential Hall of Famer showed no serious signs of slowing down in the 18th year of his career. He completed his third straight 17-start season and notched 43 tackles (nine TFL), 16 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks and two pass deflections. Campbell’s performance impressed Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 23rd among 127 qualifying interior D-linemen.
Also a former Jaguar, Falcon and Dolphin, Campbell revealed the presence of Ravens defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver influenced his decision to return to Baltimore.
“Weave has been my favorite coach,” the six-time Pro Bowler said. “He’s probably the main reason why I came back here.”
Weaver, who spent the previous two seasons as the Dolphins’ D-coordinator, is beginning his third stint with the Ravens. He played for them from 2002-05 and then held multiple roles on former head coach John Harbaugh‘s staff from 2021-23. Weaver was the assistant defensive line coach for all three of those years, and Campbell was in the fold for two of them.
As Campbell enters what he expects to be his last season, the 2010s All-Decade Team member will have a chance to continue climbing up a couple of all-time lists. Campbell has played 278 games, leaving him five away from passing Jim Marshall for most ever by a defensive lineman. He also has 125 sacks, which ranks 34th in league history. Recording at least six sacks in 2026 would vault him into the top 30.