The Arizona Cardinals had to say goodbye to defensive lineman Calais Campbell in free agency for the second time. The first time came in 2017 after he spent the first nine years of his career in Arizona. This week, it happened again because the Cardinals couldn’t offer him what he wanted.
He signed with the Baltimore Ravens to play in his 19th season after a year with the Cardinals in 2025.
It is his second stint with the Ravens.
Why wouldn’t he have come back to the Cardinals? It was no longer the right fit.
“Where can I go where I can make plays and win games,” Campbell said in an interview with the team. “Baltimore made the most sense when it came down to that.”
Campbell signed with the Cardinals last offseason hoping to perhaps end his career the way he started it. As a rookie in 2008, the Cardinals went to the Super Bowl. There were high expectations, but the season was a flop, as they finished 3-14, losing 11 of their final 12 games, including the last nine games of the season.
Campbell made plays, though. He started every game and had 6.5 sacks, the second-most on the team.
As the season was coming to a close, he was happy that his play allowed him the option to be able to play longer.
Returning to Baltimore made sense. He can play. He can contribute. Most importantly, they can win.
The Cardinals can’t seriously offer him a competitive team.
We wish him success and production in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals could offer Calais Campbell what he needed for 2026