New Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has wasted no time making his mark on the club. He's already brought in a familiar face to join him in Titletown in recently appointed linebackers coach Sam Siefkes; why not rekindle another flame?
That's not to say Gannon should fully tap into his network to rebuild the Packers on his side of the ball. After all, the Arizona Cardinals fired him as their head coach less than a month before this writing. So, for the most part, starting fresh may be in everyone's best interest.
However, Gannon's Cardinals roots could help the Packers address their biggest offseason priority. They have a glaring need for interior defensive line reinforcement, and his ties to veteran Calais Campbell present an appealing potential solution.
Calais Campbell may be the perfect signing for Jonathan Gannon-led Packers defense
Campbell, who will be 40 by the time Week 1 of the 2026 campaign comes around, has openly mulled retirement for the past several years. He spent 2025 with the Cardinals, the franchise that drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and remained effective. His brief overlap with Gannon in Arizona can turn out to be a massive development for the Packers.
Age aside, Campbell is still a high-level contributor. He posted a 72.2 overall Pro Football Focus grade, good for 26th out of 134 qualified interior defenders. His status as one of the league's premier run-stuffers was on full display, but so was an impressive ability to rush the passer.
Per ESPN's pass rush win rate rankings, Campbell ranked third among defensive tackles. He amassed 33 total pressures, 18 hurries, 16 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks. His presence along the trenches is felt in more ways than one, and Gannon knows how to deploy the future Hall of Famer.
Spotrac's calculated market value projects Campbell to be a pretty affordable option in free agency with a one-year, roughly-$11 million contract estimate. Between the expected cost and reuniting him with Gannon, the Packers are a logical destination, even if they attack the position in the draft, too.
For what it's worth, money is only one factor in what comes next for Campbell. Joining a contender with hopes of riding off into the sunset on a high note figures to be at or near the top of his wishlist. There's also a chance he hangs up the cleats.