The Green Bay Packers are in a dire cap situation. While Aaron Rodgers hasn’t yet decided what his future holds, one of the first significant player decisions seemed to be moving along late Sunday night.
It’s cryptic off-season tweet season. Players with uncertain futures begin dropping hints and scrubbing their social media accounts of team-related content. But one Packer posted a promising teaser. De’Vondre Campbell, the street free-agent linebacker who became an All-Pro, posted an Instagram story from Green Bay. His current deal expires at midnight (probably, the language is complex), so it seemed likely Campbell was in town to sign a new, long-term contract with the Packers.
Alas, that deadline passed without a reported deal. But while an 11th-hour pact would have saved some cap space, it doesn’t mean the end of the Campbell era in Green Bay. Campbell elevated his play to become one of the hottest free agents on the market. Despite needing to make difficult roster decisions, he’s a free agent the Packers shouldn’t let go of.
And it’s clear Brian Gutekunst and Co. want Campbell to return. That’s why he was in the building in the first place. Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber spoke with Campbell’s agent, Joe Panos, regarding the talks. Panos confirmed that Campbell and the Packers are interested in keeping the All-Pro in Wisconsin, but they did not come to a deal Sunday night. Negotiations are in the “infant” stage.
A deal would have helped the Packers, who will pay Campbell this upcoming season regardless of where he plays. But after being an afterthought last free-agency cycle, Campbell has earned the chance to test the market when it opens up next month.
Campbell was a breath of fresh air in the first year of Joe Barry’s defense. It’s no secret Green Bay has long neglected the inside linebacker position, choosing to use cheap veterans and Day 3 draft picks in the role. After rolling with Blake Martinez, B.J. Goodson, and Christian Kirksey in previous seasons, Campbell appeared to be of the same caliber: a cheap yet reliable veteran.
Instead, Campbell reinvented himself and the expectations for an off-ball linebacker in green and gold. Over his 16 games played, he had 111 solo tackles, 23 assists, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles (per PFF). He finished with an overall 85.8 PFF grade. Campbell’s previous highest score was a 68.3 in 2017.
Following a proud Green Bay tradition, Campbell was a Pro Bowl snub (because Pro Bowl voting is dumb). But he made first-team All-Pro. With Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams being the Packers’ only other first-teamers, Campbell joined elite company.
He has spent the last three seasons on three different teams. Campbell bet on himself on a one-year deal in Green Bay, where he felt like he was put into an excellent position to succeed. He did just that, exceeding every expectation. It’s only natural to expect he’d want to test the market. PFF has Campbell as the No. 1 free-agent linebacker and 27th-overall.
Campbell will turn 29 before the new season starts, and he likely wants to find a multi-year deal to maximize his time. The Packers have a lot to offer a prospective player, but a ton of money isn’t one of them right now. On the flipside, Campbell has only had one year of elite play, and some teams may be wary of such a small sample size.
Of course, the Packers have an elephant-in-the-room situation that could make a return more or less likely. Playing for a Rodgers-led team means a championship is always an option, and playing for a competitive team is usually a pretty cool thing. You might get more money from the New York Jets, but then you’d have to play for the Jets. A Rodgers return could sway Campbell to re-sign with Green Bay, even if it means a lower salary than he’d get from another team.
Green Bay should want Campbell to return, with or without Rodgers. The Packers learned that having a good defense is pretty nice, and the defense was the one good thing in their most recent playoff loss. Having a player of Campbell’s caliber leading said defense is a major asset, and a stout defense will make whoever is under center’s life easier.
Green Bay won’t be able to re-sign everyone, but Campbell should be one of the more straightforward priorities. Going back to neglecting inside linebacker would be a massive step backward, and the Packers aren’t crawling with depth. Barry has consistently gotten great play from his off-ball linebackers, and a player like Campbell elevates the entire defense. Campbell may have left without a new deal by midnight, but it’s not like he turned back into an onion. The offseason is long, and there is plenty of time to get a deal done.
