On March 31st Calais Campbell officially signed with the Atlanta Falcons. This marks the end of Campbell's three-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens, as he was released earlier in March due to cap space issues.
Calais Campbell's Legacy with Baltimore
Even though Campbell has been mulling retirement for a few years now, he was still a key contributor in his time with the Ravens. In three seasons with the team, Campbell had 11.5 sacks, which was the second most on the team in that time span.
Calais Campbell: "Look ma, one hand!" pic.twitter.com/DURwKucKDL
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) November 22, 2022
In addition to his presence in the pass-rushing game, he was also very effective in stopping the run. Last year, the Ravens gave up the least rushing yards in the NFL, and the year before they ranked third.
However, Campbell's impact with the Ravens goes way past his on-field dominance. Campbell fully bought into the Ravens system, and instantly became a leader for the team.
Calais Campbell mocking Steelers fans will be how I remember him in Baltimore pic.twitter.com/zPelxixYJY
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) March 14, 2023
Campbell made it very clear that his goal was to win a Super Bowl, which was a major component of his signing with the Ravens and why he postponed retirement for a couple of years. In his farewell Instagram post, Campbell said "Although we didn't hoist the Lombardi, we sure did have a great time chasing it."
Campbell always brought energy and made an imprint on the players around him. He was always in the middle of the pregame huddle and was known to be a great locker room presence. Stepping up in that way so late in his career with another team shows a lot of character.
As well as his character on the field, Campbell also made tremendous impacts off the field. In 2019, Campbell won the Walter Payton Man of the Year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. And in his time in Baltimore, he contributed to the city through his foundation. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 36-year-old joined the Rockefeller Foundation to help Black-owned businesses in Baltimore impacted by the lockdown.
Campbell had plenty of memorable moments, and the one that will stick out in many Ravens fans' minds was his blocked kick against the Indianapolis Colts in 2021. The Ravens were down by 8 points with around four-and-a-half minutes left in the game and Rodrigo Blankenship lined up for a game-sealing 37-yard field goal.
Campbell performed a perfect swim move to get past the Colts' offensive line and used his 6' 8" frame to keep the Ravens in the game, which ended in an overtime win, and is seen as one of Lamar Jackson's best performances in Baltimore.
Campbell now looks to take on a leadership role with the young Atlanta Falcons team, while also searching for his 100th sack. He currently sits at 99, and with the effectiveness he has played with in his past years in Baltimore, he surely will not waste any time in Atlanta.
Looking at the Ravens, they are left with a similar defensive front they had last year, with Michael Pierce hopefully returning to the field after tearing his bicep in Week 3. The Ravens will rely on growth from their younger players, especially 2022 third-round pick Travis Jones. I would expect Ravens GM Eric DeCosta to look at defensive tackle in the draft, although they might strike out considering they only have five draft picks over seven rounds.
With Campbell contemplating retirement for a few years now, it is very possible he could end his career after this year and be on his way to the Hall of Fame soon after.