The Jacksonville Jaguars made a massive splash in early free agency by handing a defensive lineman a huge contract for the second year in a row, this time locking up Calais Campbell to a mammoth deal in free agency.
Ahead of the 4 p.m. ET start to the NFL league year (follow here for all our updates), the Jaguars have reportedly agreed to terms with the No. 13 free agent on Pete Prisco’s top 50 list.
And it wasn’t cheap: Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the Jaguars handed Campbell a deal that will pay him $60 million over four years with $30 million guaranteed.
Campbell was thought to be the prime target for the Jaguars in free agency, and he was always going to get paid. He briefly flirted with his hometown Denver Broncos, but ultimately settled on the Jaguars because of a significant financial difference between the two offers.
The Cardinals were never really in on Campbell, having decided to lock up Chandler Jones instead by placing the franchise tag on the pass rusher and then working to sign him to a massive new deal on Thursday.
Jacksonville handed a huge contract to Malik Jackson last year ($90 million over six years with more than $42 million guaranteed) and now have the makings of a terrifying defensive front, featuring Campbell, Jackson and Dante Fowler, Jr.
If the Jaguars, as rumored, end up landing cornerback A.J. Bouye (Prisco’s No. 6 free agent and formerly of the division rival Texans) and safety Barry Church, they will have cleaned up in the first day of free agency.
Campbell is 30 and will turn 31 in September, but he’s been a dominant, versatile player on the Cardinals’ defensive front for the last three years, compiling eight sacks in 2016. He recorded 20 sacks the last three years and 12 passes defensed. He’s also incredible against the run and just an underrated defensive player in the mold of Justin Smith.
Expect plenty of offseason Jaguars hype pieces this year. Time is a flat circle.
