Gearing Up For Calais Campbell Sweepstakes
March 2nd, 2017
Beasting in free agency worked wonders for the Raiders and Giants last season, and it appears the Bucs will get to make a decision on the greatest beast of the 2017 class.
The 6-8, 300-pound defensive end/tackle of the Cardinals, Calais Campbell, may not be affordable for Arizona. It seems questionable they’ll lock him up before the free agency dinner bell rings in seven days.
Chatter from Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians and other team officials at the NFL Scouting Combine yesterday painted a bleak picture of Campbell’s return. You can read quotes at BSPN.com.
Campbell, 30, is a pillar of a teammate and true NFL stud coming off an eight-sack season. He’s versatile, too, and doesn’t miss games. He’s the kind of player who instantly makes those around him better, a championship-caliber piece in a quarterback-rich division.
The Bucs can’t buy every free agent, even though it’s fun to think about. But Campbell has got to be high on the Christmas list.
Team Glazer invested big bucks to keep defensive coordinator Mike Smith in town for two more seasons. Jason Licht said repeatedly yesterday that the Bucs need to get after quarterbacks to take the next step quickly.
Despite the giant price tag Campbell will command ($13 million per year?), he seems like one of the safest bets on the free agency board.
Joe’s got some fingers crossed.
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:03 pm
He and Pryor would be gems…
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:04 pm
Now it will come down to perception of Tampa Bay. Does he WANT to come here……?? Gonna let him and Geraldini wrestle for No. 93?
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:07 pm
@Cobra… My wish list this whole of season, them two
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Would love to see Campbell in a Bucs uniform!
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Would fill a huge hole and free up a draft choice. Expensive but would be worth it imo. If possible we need to get him here
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Remember the last big name DL we got from Arizona. Turned out pretty well.
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:32 pm
I did a small poll on my Twitter account and Calais won hands down on who ppl wanted to see in Pewter and Red..
I too voted CC..
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:42 pm
I just don’t think the Bucs will get into a bidding situation. If they’re interested, they’ll make their offer, but I don’t believe they will overpay, but someone else will. I don’t expect Campbell to be in a Bucs uniform. But… maybe I’ll end up being surprised.
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:44 pm
We gotta get this guy man, end of discussion.
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Please give us Campbell. I’m sure McCoy would be extremely happy about that. This could mean McCoy with Campbell on one side of him and Sayers on the other. You can’t double team that!!!
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:50 pm
Ayers
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:51 pm
What Cobraboy said…now, GO GET IT THEM SIGNED JASON LICHT, and GO BUCS!!!
March 2nd, 2017 at 2:58 pm
Give him $13 mill a year if that’s what it takes. We can eventually unload his & mccoy salaries in like 2-3 years and draft their replacements
March 2nd, 2017 at 3:01 pm
Calais Played at Miami so he has a history of playing in the Sunshine State.
Hopefully, that helps.
March 2nd, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Would rather give him $13 mil than Poe $13 mil
March 2nd, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Yes please!
March 2nd, 2017 at 3:56 pm
Fingers crossed indeed. Go get him JL.
March 2nd, 2017 at 4:20 pm
He’s not a passrushing DE in a 4-3. Not gonna pay him 8 figures to play next to GMC… sorry to disappoint.
March 2nd, 2017 at 4:22 pm
please no we need young players going into there prime.
March 2nd, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Bucs have around 80 million in Glazer loot. Campbell and Pryor has to happen. No excuses.
March 2nd, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Did somebody ask if Calais wants to be a Buc? Lol
If AP wants to play here, I’m sure Calais would love to play with this defense.
March 2nd, 2017 at 5:23 pm
He will get more. Try 15 a year. Only true qb sacker now. Can play multiple spots.
March 2nd, 2017 at 5:44 pm
Offer to have Jefferson come with him. Play on the emotional appeal of teammates switching teams together to go get rich and win a Sb!
March 2nd, 2017 at 6:01 pm
I’ve always been of the belief that you don’t spend big on FA’s until you are ready to make a push for something. Something to put you over the top.
Campbell fits that bill. Out of every FA out there. This guy makes the most sense to me.
March 2nd, 2017 at 6:31 pm
I’d be ok with 15 mil. Throw a freaking parade for him when he comes in to interview. Do whatever it takes to get him in the building and don’t let him leave without signing his name on a contract. WHATEVER IT TAKES.
March 2nd, 2017 at 6:41 pm
$80 mil in cap space would be in the ballpark IF we release Doug Martin AND Evan Smith (both are still on the roster at present however). Sounds like our real cap space right now is closer to $68 mil. Of course, that has to cover (1) signing our own FAs (like Gholston, McDougald, Rodgers & several others); (2) any FAs that we add (like Campbell, Jefferson, Jackson & hopefully several others); (3) our draft picks; and (4) saving some of that for Mike Evans next contract as a minimum. Wow, $68 mil sounds like a lot, but it can disappear real fast when the Bucs have so many needs to fill through FA & the draft. Seriously doubt that Jason Licht will spend over $30-35 mil (max) on non-Buc FAs.
Would love to see Calais Campbell in a Bucs uniform, but not at $15 mil (anything over about $10-12 mil is just too much for a DLineman considering what GMC is already making). Would rather use a high draft pick on a DT/DE if the bidding gets that high. Pretty much the same thing goes for a #2 WR … there comes a point where it’s just cost-prohibitive (probably around $10-12 mil in that case too). However, in the case of a safety, different story I think. We need to fill Safety hole with someone like Tony Jefferson (guessing around $7-8 mil per yr). Would still love to add an OLineman like Matt Kalil (guessing that’d be around $7-8 mil per yr also). Sure wouldn’t want to be Jason Licht right now. Lots of challenges.
March 2nd, 2017 at 7:27 pm
NO. This guy is 30 years old wanting a gigantic contract. Stick with Ayers. If they really want a DE Barnett would be nice if he’s at #19…or we can trade up to #1 and get Myles Garret. Everyone remembers last year’s high round trades for ballers.
March 2nd, 2017 at 7:35 pm
If we took Sheldon rankins we wouldn’t have to be thinking about this guy.
March 2nd, 2017 at 8:16 pm
Everything starts with rattling their quarterback. EVERYTHING ! Get Pass Rushers ! 1985 Bears Baby ! Man, that was fun to watch
March 2nd, 2017 at 8:40 pm
I want Hightower and so should everyone else!!!!!!!
March 2nd, 2017 at 8:46 pm
Why Hightower? Most of the time we only have 2 LBs on the field anyway and we already have our 2. No need
March 2nd, 2017 at 8:51 pm
Scotty- Now we are talkin’- Pryor, Jefferson, Campbell, Wagner (O-line) and Hightower to replace D Smith. Any combination is good with me- Hightower under the radar- good call.
March 2nd, 2017 at 9:20 pm
#1 He’s a kick a@s play maker he can cover and sack! He’s a baller and he’s like 26! Find a way to use him and since when is a great player not a need?
March 2nd, 2017 at 11:53 pm
Defence Rules… even at $68 million we can afford to overpay 2 Free Agents, which is exactly what we need… at least 2 splash plays top give us wiggle room in the draft… and the price cap went up this year just like every other year by about $10- $11 million dollars meaning every position $amount goes up too… Basically it’s monopoly money at a huge inflation rate, who cares if they overpay? We need 2 playmakers at least… Make the FA contracts front heavy, so when the time comes over the next 3 years we can still pay our home growns what they deserve.
March 3rd, 2017 at 2:06 am
@Buccaneer Scotty
So if we sign Hightower and the 70% of the time we are in Nickel (5 DBs, 4 DL, 2 LBs) who are you sitting, Kwon, Lavonte, or Hightower?
March 3rd, 2017 at 7:01 am
Yes to Campbell. A proven comodity, and should have 3-4 years left in the tank!
Free agents love Tampa- No state Tax!!
But hate Tampa – training Camp in the heat!! Especially older Vets. Believe it or not, its an issue.
Getting that ACed, inside practice facility wil be a big plus in attracting Free agents.
Hope Bucs land Campbell and Brandon Marshall. That should still leave room for a Decent FB and TE( seattle has a young TE I like).
Then we draft a Dalvin Cook, a Center, a young WR, and a Safety
That would make this team tremendous.
March 3rd, 2017 at 7:15 am
Te Luke Wilson- Seattle. 6’5″, 255.
Reminds me of the great Cameron Brate, but more of a blocker, less of a reciever.
O think this guy is starting to come into his own. As the 2nd Te, in a 2 TE set, I think he could fill in the 0-10 yard area, while Brate stretches the middle of the Field.
Add in Mike Evans and Brendon Marshall. – I like it!!
Add Cook, like it even more. Jameis would be thrilled
March 3rd, 2017 at 7:17 pm
I have a hard time believing the Cards wouldn’t bring him back from $13 mil… I guarantee u he commands no less than 15.. and he gets closer to 17