Reuniting with defensive lineman Calais Campbell felt like the cherry on top of the Baltimore Ravens' stellar offseason. Last season, the Ravens' pass rush was nonexistent; they primarily addressed this flaw by signing Trey Hendrickson. Adding a trusty veteran in Campbell, who can pressure the passer and stop the run, further addressed this need.
Still, the question remained: How big a role will the 40-year-old play? During media availability earlier this week, Campbell discussed what his role will look like ahead of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts.
"I am going to be pretty honest. I do not want to suck out there,” Campbell said. "I am not going to try to play every play in a row and then [be] sucking wind for the rest of the game. I am kind of experienced at being old."
Calais Campbell's comments might set him up to be used in a more limited role
While there isn't a specific count, it sounds like Campbell's role will largely be left up to him and that it will depend on how he's feeling. Given that he's 40 years old, this makes perfect sense, and his comments indicate that he might be used in a more limited capacity.
This will ensure that he's impactful whenever he's on the field, and it can also limit the possibility of him getting injured. And if he feels ready for a bigger role in Week 1 or throughout the season, the Ravens can give him that, but it all comes down to what the vet is comfortable with.
Thankfully, the Ravens don't need him to play a massive role, and anything Campbell provides will simply be additive.
Despite his advanced age, Campbell is still playing at a high level. Last season, with the Arizona Cardinals, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 18 pressures. Regardless, he understandably played in a career-low 46 percent of possible snaps. Based on this and Campbell's comments, it's fair to expect something in the ballpark of this number, but likely a bit lower.
When Campbell's on the field, though, he'll be key to stopping Jonathan Taylor and pressuring Daniel Jones.
He is currently listed as the Ravens' starting defensive end, but Aeneas Peebles should get some burn as well. Interior lineman John Jenkins and Broderick Washington are other candidates to see some extra field time. On passing downs, another option is utilizing dime coverage with six DBs, giving a player like Campbell rest.
The point is that Baltimore has plenty of options when Campbell is off the field, and they aren't overly dependent on him. And when he's ready to go, boom, the Colts will have to deal with a 6-foot-8 game- wrecker on top of the rest of Baltimore's defensive talent. From this standpoint, Campbell is the Ravens' secret weapon.
With new head coach Jesse Minter and some key additions, the Ravens' defense should look much better than last season. Even if he's playing a fairly limited role, Campbell should be part of why this unit looks much sharper.
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