The Baltimore Ravens were sufficiently concerned about their defensive front to try and bring six-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell back to M&T Bank Stadium before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, November 5.
All-Pro defensive tackle Campbell explained why the offer the Ravens made to the Miami Dolphins went nowhere. A conversation with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel convinced 38-year-old Campbell to stay put.
Campbell, who spent three seasons in Baltimore from 2020-22, revealed the Ravens “wanted to have a conversation with me to see where my mind was at. We had a great conversation. Me and Mike talked about where we are as a team. We came to the conclusion that this team still has a lot of fight left and we have a chance to do something special,” per C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald.
Although Campbell offered a measured reaction to the possibility of switching teams during his 17th season in the pros, McDaniel was a little more emotional. The coach who’s just three years older than Campbell described how he would have reacted to losing the lineman.
McDaniel said he “may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum” in front of general manager Chris Grier. As McDaniel explained, “Chris has to look longterm and short-term… and we rely on each other for things I need to be on top of, and one of that is locker room and what 1 individual does for the entire team,” per the Herald’s Barry Jackson.
Those words speak to how well Campbell is playing for the Dolphins. They also show why the Ravens wanted a reunion.
Calais Campbell Made Leap of Faith for Dolphins
Campbell’s enduring dominance is best summed up by the four sacks and nine pressures he’s registered already this season. The veteran also remains a force against the run, having made nine tackles for loss.
His ability to still be a game-wrecker is helping Miami’s defense key a late-season revival and push for the playoffs. Yet things didn’t look quite so rosy when Campbell opted to stay in the AFC East.
The Dolphins were “2-6 and without a lot of hope for a turnaround” when the Ravens offered a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Campbell could’ve swapped the uncertainty surrounding the Dolphins for the upward trend of a 6-3 Ravens team. The group was powered by an awesome offense, but undermined by defensive frailties, a disparity that still exists.
Ravens Still Searching for Identity on Defense
What are the Ravens defensively in 2024? That’s tough to answer since this season’s unit isn’t outstanding in any one area.
While the Ravens are giving up 3.4 yards per rush, the lowest average in the league, that number is inflated by team’s rarely wanting to run against the worst pass defense in football.
A secondary still being made over remains vulnerable but the Ravens aren’t creating as much pressure as when they led the NFL with 60 sacks last season. The latter problem is showing up in key moments.
Adding a natural pocket-collapsing force with Campbell’s track record would have boosted the pass rush. Instead, the Ravens had to settle for dealing for an All-Pro cornerback.
How the rest of the season plays out will determine if the Ravens fixed the right end of a struggling defense before the trade market closed.
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All-Pro Calais Campbell Reveals Why He Turned Down Ravens Trade