3 younger replacements for Ravens’ Calais Campbell in 2022
By Kristen Wong
2. Larry Ogunjobi
Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi remains an unsigned free agent this offseason, and the Ravens have every reason to try to negotiate a deal.
A few weeks ago, Ogunjobi was set to join the Chicago Bears, but that didn’t pan out due to Ogunjobi’s failed physical. His healthy will be a minor concern to the Ravens, but what’s more important is his age and production.
At 27-years-old, Ogunjobi is playing in his prime and coming off an incredible Super Bowl run with the Bengals. He played 16 games in regular season, notching a career-high seven sacks along with 49 combined tackles and 16 quarterback hits. Ogunjobi suffered a foot injury in the Bengals’ Wild Card win and ultimately missed the rest of the postseason, but when healthy, he serves as an upgrade to almost any defense.
As the only free agent option on this list, Ogunjobi doesn’t provide an exact one-to-one replacement for Calais Campbell, and he would need some time to adapt to Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme.
Yet if his 2021 performance was any indication, Ogunjobi could become the Ravens’ most productive D-lineman for many years to come. The initial deal he agreed to with the Bears paid him roughly $13.5 million a year, slightly higher than what Campbell received last season.
Whereas Campbell is clearly on the backend of his career, aiming for one last-gasp attempt to win ring, signing Ogunjobi could mark the beginning of a new era of defensive linemen in Baltimore.
An added perk? Pitting him against his former team in 2022. Revenge is a dish best served with a dominant victory in the trenches.