What could it cost the Packers to re-sign De’Vondre Campbell?
A star of the Green Bay Packers‘ defense this season, inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was deservedly named a first-team All-Pro.
It’s hard to believe he signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Packers in June after remaining unsigned throughout free agency.
Needless to say, Campbell won’t be waiting as long this offseason and he is set to make a lot more money. With a salary cap mess this offseason, can the Packers afford to re-sign Campbell?
How much would it cost for Packers to re-sign De’Vondre Campbell?
Spotrac projects that Campbell’s new deal will be worth an average of $6.2 million per year. Their estimation for his contract is three years worth $18.86 million.
That’s surprisingly low as it would make Campbell just the 17th highest-paid inside linebacker in the league, per Spotrac, a year after being named a first-team All-Pro. The Indianapolis Colts’ Darius Leonard makes an average of $19.7 million per year, while the Seattle Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner makes an average of $18 million per year.
Working against Campbell is that he’s only put together an All-Pro season once. Can he do it consistently every year?
If Campbell’s new deal is in the $6 million per year range, the Packers must find a way to re-sign him. They will need to create cap space before the start of the new league year, but they need to do that anyway.
Based on Spotrac’s market value, a three-year, $18.86 million deal would be affordable for the Packers despite their salary cap situation. And for a player who meant so much to this defense, it would be an easy decision.
The Packers have some big decisions ahead this offseason but if there’s a possibility they can re-sign Campbell, they should do everything they can to bring him back. It won’t be easy to replace him if he signs elsewhere.