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The Buffalo Bills have focused almost entirely on the offensive side of the ball through the first few weeks of free agency, but looked to make a key addition to their defensive line as an NFL insider reported that they planned to host All-Pro edge rusher Calais Campbell for a free-agent visit this week.
It appears they will have to keep looking. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on March 29 that Campbell was headed to the NFC South after making his free agency decision.
“Sources: The #Falcons are making another splash, as former #Ravens star Calais Campbell intends to sign a 1-year deal with them,” Rapoport tweeted. “The Pro Bowler and former Walter Payton Man of the year will lend leadership to a young team he believes in. And Atlanta adds — again — on defense.”
ESPN analyst Tiffany Blackmon had reported on March 24 that there were several teams interested in Campbell, including the Bills.
“A source told me that Calais Campbell’s visit with the Falcons on Wednesday went really well… also met with the Jags last week and has visits set up with the Jets and Bills this coming week,” Blackmon tweeted.
Bills Aimed to Boost Defensive Line
Campbell could have brought a much-needed boost to a defensive line that struggled after edge rusher Von Miller suffered a season-ending injury. As the Niagara Gazette’s Nick Sabato noted, the Bills were averaging 2.5 sacks per game with Miller in the lineup but dropped to 1.5 per game after he was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL.
Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s, was still able to make a significant impact with the Baltimore Ravens last year at age 36. He made 36 tackles with 5.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits, adding a forced fumble.
The Bills have looked at another addition, hosting a free-agent visit with defensive tackle Jordan Phillips for a potential return to Buffalo. Phillips played for the Bills in 2018 and 2019, returning last season and appearing in 12 games before suffering a shoulder injury.
After the conclusion of Buffalo’s season, Phillips said he was interested in coming back for another year.
“Yeah, I’m going to figure out a way to get it done,” Phillips said in January, via USA Today’s Bills Wire.
Von Miller on Track to Return
The Bills will get their own veteran defensive end back next season. Head coach Sean McDermott said at NFL meetings this week that Miller is on track with his rehab, though didn’t give an exact projection on when he could take the field again. Rehab for an ACL tear can take up to a year or more, as it did for Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White when he was returning from a similar injury last season.
McDermott offered some praise for Miller’s mindset through the ordeal and his willingness to be present to help coach and encourage his teammates.
“To have a player go down with a major injury that he had, that type of injury, and then to stick around the team I think says a lot about who he is as a person, who he is as a teammate, which is off the charts, right?” McDermott said, via the Buffalo News. “Then you talk about the piece that he’s working on, which is getting healthy to play and play well on the field, that’s a whole other piece, and to this point, it sounds like he’s on schedule.”
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