The Chicago Bears have done almost everything possible to prepare their team for a legitimate playoff run this season. GM Ryan Poles drastically overhauled the offense, adding Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, Caleb Williams, and Rome Odunze in the space of two months. Jaylon Johnson got his new contract, so the secondary remains intact on defense. There isn’t much to complain about save for one area. The Bears didn’t really get better along the defensive line. One could argue they got slightly worse.
Yannick Ngakoue and Justin Jones both left as free agents this spring. As of now, the only proven pass rusher they have is Montez Sweat. DeMarcus Walker is a good run defender with decent pass rush chops. Outside of that, they seem to be leaning heavily on developing Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens to pick up the slack. That may not be a bad thing, but it feels like they need to add another capable body to ease their rotation. One name that has come up a lot lately is Calais Campbell, the former six-time Pro Bowler.
I reached out to a veteran personnel executive who spent some time reviewing the Falcons last season to seek his opinion on Campbell, who started all 17 games and was on the field for 63% of the defensive snaps, totaling 17 quarterback hits.
“I think he’s still got one good year in him if he wants to play,” the executive said. “He’s still a real force at the point of attack. You cannot get that guy’s edge. He’s so long and so strong and he’s (really) stout. Anybody who wants to try to run zone his way is not getting the edge of the defense because of his length and pure stoutness.
“As a pass rusher, he’s still got power, so when he drops his pads — because of his length he plays at a really high pad level naturally — but when he puts a little bend into his play, because of his power, he cannot be stopped one-on-one. Now, he’s of the age that he cannot bring that every play or every game, but when he does, he’s still got a lot.
“As a veteran free agent, he’s going to be a great locker-room presence. He would be really good for the mix, really good for the locker room, and in spot situations, base downs, base personnel, he would be a big add. You’d just have to limit his reps. He’d be kind of a rotational rush guy. You wouldn’t want him in there all the time. When it’s on the line, that guy brings it.”…
…That being said, GM Ryan Poles has been aggressive at times entering his third season, and I wouldn’t rule anything out. I’m sure the Bears have kept tabs on Campbell and other remaining free agents who potentially could bolster the roster when looking ahead to the end of August and cut decisions.
They have a young team on both sides of the ball. Several key names on defense are under the age of 25, including Dexter, Pickens, rookie Austin Booker, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson. Campbell has been around since 2008. In that time, he has played on seven playoff teams, played in two conference championships, and reached a Super Bowl. He’s seen everything this league offers and has a bounty of experience he can impart to others. His 6.5 sacks last season also prove he can still go.
This comes down to two factors: money and situation. Campbell got $7 million from the Falcons last season. It isn’t certain if the Chicago Bears would pay such a contract to somebody 38 years old. He also may not wish to join a team that has no chance of competing for a Super Bowl. That is the only reason for him to keep playing at this point. Some believe the Bears are capable of a playoff run but not a championship. Campbell’s desire to keep playing will play a central role in any decision.
