The NFL draft is less than three weeks away, but that didn’t stop the Ravens from stabilizing their front seven by re-signing two veteran starters from last year’s defense.
Less than 24 hours after agreeing to a one-year deal with inside linebacker Josh Bynes, Baltimore announced a two-year agreement with six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell on Saturday morning. According to multiple reports, Campbell’s contract is worth $12.5 million with $6 million guaranteed at signing and an additional $4 million in incentives possible.
With Campbell having played at a high level over the last two seasons since being acquired from Jacksonville, the Ravens voiced their interest in re-signing him at the start of the offseason and the 35-year-old announced his intentions to return for a 15th NFL season at Super Bowl LVI. The 6-foot-8, 300-pound Campbell played in 15 of 17 games last year and graded as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best interior defensive lineman despite registering just 1 1/2 sacks, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2008. His presence in the trenches was a major reason why Baltimore finished third in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.8) and fourth in run defense efficiency last season.
Campbell is general manager Eric DeCosta’s second notable signing for the defensive line after the Ravens signed 29-year-old nose tackle Michael Pierce to a three-year, $16.5 million contract last month. Pierce, Campbell, and either Justin Madubuike or Derek Wolfe figure to make up the starting base defensive line with Baltimore likely to target additional depth in the draft.
After unsuccessfully trying to land eight-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker Bobby Wagner in free agency, the Ravens settled for a reunion with Bynes, who will now continue his third stint with the organization. Rejoining the organization at the end of the 2021 preseason after being released by Carolina, the 32-year-old Bynes stepped into a starting role last October with 2020 draft picks Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison struggling in the middle of the defense. A member of Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII championship team, Bynes made 12 starts with PFF grading him 11th among all qualified off-ball linebackers last season.
Having stabilized the Ravens’ problematic inside linebacker picture for the second time in three seasons, Bynes made clear that he wanted to remain with the organization for 2022.
“I am beyond interested. I feel like I have a lot of ball left in me,” Bynes said in January. “I feel like I proved that this season. It’s not like I feel like I have one more in me kind of thing. I feel like I have two, three, four — whatever amount is given to me — because I put in that work in the offseason, take care of myself throughout the year, and just know how to prepare myself week in and week out.”
While Campbell and Bynes won’t address long-term concerns about their respective position groups, their re-signings should alleviate any perceived urgency for DeCosta to use his earliest draft picks on a defensive lineman or inside linebacker. The Ravens are scheduled to make nine picks over the first four rounds of this year’s draft.
