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We finally have some sports, sort of. With the NFL’s legal tampering underway today, teams have been dishing out deals left and right in anticipation of Wednesday’s start to free agency.
However, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided to get a head start and clear some cap space yesterday with an agreement to send defensive lineman Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens. In return, the Ravens will send a fifth-round pick to Jacksonville.
Can confirm reports that the Ravens will acquire Calais Campbell from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a fifth-round pick. Campbell has one year left with a base salary of $15 million so working on a new deal with Campbell is imperative for Ravens.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 15, 2020
The deal won’t be official until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, so when it goes through, Jacksonville will save $15 million in cap space. As for Baltimore, they immediately pounced on Campbell’s contract and worked to make a new deal with the 33-year-old lineman.
The #Ravens and new DL Calais Campbell are finalizing a 2-year new deal for $27M, sources say. It gives him $20 guaranteed after the trade from the #Jaguars. It’s not completely done yet, but sounds like it will be.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2020
Campbell has spent the past three seasons in Jacksonville, all of which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. Aside from starting every game over his three-year stint, Campbell also made a major impact off the field that resulted in him being crowned the 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year. He took to Twitter to say his farewell to Jacksonville later on Sunday afternoon.
(1/6) Like anything in life, they say great things only last for so long. My time in Jacksonville has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience filled with love, support and pure joy from the Duval community. pic.twitter.com/jzfcSxZzSX
— Calais Campbell (@CalaisCampbell) March 15, 2020
He’ll join a Baltimore front line that now expects to see Matt Judon return via franchise tag. Coming off a crushing defeat at home in the playoffs, the Ravens hope to continue to build off their two-loss season.
As for Jacksonville, they now have a total of 11 draft picks, tied for the third-most in the league. Interestingly enough, this was not the first time that the fifth-round selection was traded.
August 11th: Ravens trade kicker Kaare Vedvik to Vikings for fifth-round pick
August 31st: Vikings release Kaare Vedvik
March 15th: Ravens send fifth-round pick to Jaguars for 5X Pro Bowler Calais Campbell pic.twitter.com/JJyjaVi02d
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) March 15, 2020
Reactions
Basically, the Ravens swapped a Norwegian kicker who’s played one game in his career for a five-time Pro Bowler. Hence, reactions to the trade were not too kind toward the Jaguars.
Calais Campbell is one of three players in the NFL with at least 50 tackles & 6.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons. He's long, powerful, athletic, disruptive & one of the most respected people in the NFL. He's missed just 6 games in 12 years.
What a coup for Baltimore.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 15, 2020
Field Yates is an NFL reporter for ESPN.
https://twitter.com/camjordan94/status/1239232500821643269?s=20
Cameron Jordan is a star defensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints.
They only got a FIFTH? https://t.co/3o099loAZG
— Carter Donnick (@CDonnick1) March 15, 2020
Carter Donnick is a publications intern for The Draft Network.
For more updates on NFL free agency, follow me on Twitter @ZachCohenFB
